


Soulmates

by tiny_maus_boots



Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Chaubrey - Freeform, F/F, Mitchsen - Freeform, Poly, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Stechlobree, bechloe - Freeform, chacie, poly bellas, staubrey - Freeform, steca - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-15
Updated: 2019-05-20
Packaged: 2019-10-10 19:41:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 33,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17432318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tiny_maus_boots/pseuds/tiny_maus_boots
Summary: An AU in which everyone is born with a smudged birthmark. As you find your mate in life the smudge forms their name when you’ve made an impression on them. In this world Beca doesn’t realize she has any, let alone three.





	1. Chapter 1  - Beca

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by HC's from fandom-heaux on Tumblr. I blame @chloes-yellow-cup for dragging me into this fandom and then making fics that have ruined me. RUINED ME. Let me clarify. RUINED ME.  
> [HC1](https://fandom-heaux.tumblr.com/post/177774479220/soulmates-au)  
> [HC2](https://fandom-heaux.tumblr.com/post/177842775820/soulmates-au-pt-2)  
> [HC3](https://fandom-heaux.tumblr.com/post/179951426585/soulmates-au-pt-3)  
> [HC4](https://fandom-heaux.tumblr.com/post/184087732035/soulmates-au-pt-4)

“Shut up.”

“I’m serious.”

“You are not. Everyone has one. This dude I dated, Boochie, got dragged behind his ATV at Glamis and got a wicked road rash. Like peeled the whole fucking side of his body including his mark. The shit came back, darker. My hand to God.” Stacie put her hand over her heart and raised the other as if she were giving oath. As if this would somehow make her story all the more believable.

“First of all who the fuck is named ‘Boochie’?” At Stacie’s smirking shrug she moved on. “Secondly. Ew dude.” Stacie laughed at the face Beca made but waited for her to say something more. Waiting for her to say ‘Just Kidding!’ or something equally confirming that she was joking in some way.

Beca shrugged and took a sip of her beer. These were the conversations she hated. It wasn’t that she was ashamed exactly. It wasn’t anything that she could control so why  _should_  she be ashamed? Beca just hated dealing with having to explain it to people. Explain that she didn’t have that thing that made a person complete. Whole. Normal or whatever. The responses were all the same and they happened in stages. First there was disbelief.

“I mean. I don’t really have a reason to lie so…” Stacie gave her a leveling stare as if she were trying to see if Beca was being completely truthful. She was sure there were people out there that didn’t want a soulmate, didn’t want to find the one person in the whole world that would always be there, would never leave, and would always just…get them. But she didn’t happen to know any and she didn’t think Stacie did either. Whatever the taller woman was looking for in Beca’s face she didn’t find because she gave a soft ‘huh’.

Beca didn’t trust it. Stage two was curiosity. There was no way, NO WAY, that Stacie wouldn’t ask questions. After moving to Los Angeles Beca had found herself cut adrift in a sea of unknown variables. She didn’t know the area, or the people, or even any of her neighbors. She moved into a three story building that was perfect for her. It was dark and brooding and no one gave a shit about anyone else. They just kept to themselves for the most part. Except Stacie.

Stacie had made it a point to smile and say hi every time Beca passed her in the halls. There was something a little predatory about the way she did that made Beca a little nervous at first. Her stuttered greetings were rushed and she usually tried to slink away into the shadows whenever possible. Until Stacie had come over one Wednesday night with a six pack of beer and endless questions.

Six months later the questions hadn’t stopped. But then neither had the beer so it wasn’t horrible. Beca didn’t know why she even enjoyed it so much, she had never really needed gal pals before but she counted on these Wednesday nights now.

Somehow Stacie had made a place in Beca’s life and the smaller woman found herself not minding having a standing drinking date. Stacie tossed her long legs over the arm of the overstuffed chair in Beca’s living room and full on man-style belched. Beca’s face twitched in a smirk as she shifted her position on the floor to rest back against the couch. “Nice. I see now why you’re so popular.” It was an attempt to deflect, move away from stage two before it even began but it was futile and she knew it when Stacie only blew her a kiss and forged ahead.

“Yeah but like…don’t you want to be with someone?” Beca raised a shoulder in a half shrug as if it didn’t matter much. Even though it kinda sorta mattered a lot.

“Not really.” Lie. “I have goals. I’m here to get into the industry and claw my way to the top. A relationship doesn’t really factor into it. So I guess being a freak of nature doesn’t really matter.” It was coming. She could feel it. The inevitable stage three. Pity. There was always pity in the eyes of every single person she’d had to explain this to. And Beca liked Stacie, she didn’t really want to feel the weight of all that, she already felt broken enough.

An abrupt laugh made her jerk her head up to blink owlishly at the other woman. Well she hadn’t wanted pity but this seemed somehow worse. “You think you’re a freak of nature? Check this out.” Without a hint of warning or even a second’s consideration on whether the blinds were closed or not Stacie peeled her shirt off and pointed to a row of three smudges down her rib cage. “ **THIS**  is a freak of nature.”

It was enough of a shock that Beca  _almost_  forgot not to stare at Stacie’s bra clad chest. Almost. She blinked and dragged her gaze to Stacie’s side. Beca’s eyes went wide and she reached out a hand to touch them before she realized what she was doing and jerked it back. They hadn’t quite formed yet, but one had a definite outline of an A. “Dude…”

“I know right?!” She shrugged and pulled her shirt back on, content to reach for her beer as if she hadn’t just flashed someone she barely knew. “My mom thinks it’s some kind of divine blessing or something.” It was clear she disagreed but Beca couldn’t help but feel a little jealous because maybe deep down she thought it was kind of a blessing too. She would have given her right hand to have one of those marks even if she tried to convince herself that she was better off without one.

“So is that why you date so much?” It was putting it politely and they both knew it. Stacie gave her an affectionately amused look and shrugged.

“I just like sex.” Okay then. Beca flushed a little at the bluntness of the statement but nodded anyway. “Is you not having one why you don’t date at all?”

“Fair if somewhat stinging. I just…don’t see the point. Whoever I date is going to have one and that’s not going to be my name. It just leads to hurt feelings and wasted time.” Stacie reached down and pulled another pair of bottles out of the cardboard holder and held one out to Beca. The DJ cracked it open and gestured vaguely to the marks on her friend. “So who do you think A is?” This wasn’t the turn she had expected for the conversation but she couldn’t say she hated it. Once people found out she didn’t have a smudge of her very own they tended to not want to talk about it at all. As if that would somehow offend Beca. The avoidance of it had just made Beca feel all the more lonely. This was almost refreshing.

Stacie’s dark head tipped to the side as she considered it. “I think it’s this guy Aaron I met at The Greek last summer. I was there with this other guy Tony, but we got separated. I ran into Aaron, all tall, blonde, and green eyed, with a banging body.” She gave a mild smirk at the memory of said body and moved on. “He’s just boring as fuck. I mean he’s in the Army or whatever so that’s cool. But he kept talking about his guns and his little sister. And more guns. He talked a LOT about guns. It was annoying.”

It was Beca’s turn to smirk and she didn’t even try to hide it. “Yeah…he sounds like a real winner, Stace.” Who didn’t love a guy that could gush about guns all day long? “I dunno. You don’t seem that into him, not that I have any experience in this but aren’t you supposed to know when you meet your one? Or…three? Don’t you just instantly know and fall in love or whatever?” Beca kept her face blankly bored hoping that Stacie wouldn’t see how much she actually wanted to know the answer.

Stacie was slow to answer and she shrugged. “I dunno. After I met him the A showed up. We didn’t really get to do more than make out and exchange numbers. I didn’t realize until I got home that the A was even there. I’m not exactly anxious to find out. Once I know…it’s like I don’t get to be Stacie anymore. I have to be A’s girlfriend. Or wife. Until that’s over for whatever reason and the next smudge shows a name.”

It hadn’t even occurred to Beca that Stacie had three because she would go through a string of soulmates. She had just assumed they would all be together. It was a thought that should have seemed strange but for some reason felt oddly right. “Huh.” Stacie raised her brows in question but Beca shook her head. “It’s nothing it’s just I didn’t really think about what it could mean to have…three.”

“I just can’t imagine myself tied to one person forever let alone three at the same time. I read up on multiple marks but all I could come up with were extremely rare double marks. No triples. And out of the doubles only two or three out of the half dozen were concurrent relationships.”

Beca narrowed her eyes at Stacie. For someone that went to a lot of trouble to appear brainless she certainly was anything but. “You just…read up on it. Like no big deal let me research all the known cases of multiple marks…” Stacie blinked at her blankly and said nothing. Beca was starting to think that a little part of Stacie did want to find her one. Er. Ones.

The sound of Stacie’s phone jerked them both out of the quiet tension. “Food’s here. You got change for a twenty? I hate giving tips on the app.”

Beca reached over to her coffee table and picked up her wallet. “I got the tip. You covered dinner.” She got up and thumbed through the cash she had. She was sure she had a five in there somewhere. The knock at the door got her attention if only for a second. She didn’t even look up at the delivery guy as she continued to dig around. “Hey thanks…dude you wanna grab som…” Her words trailed off as she finally found what she was looking for and met the eyes of the person at the door.

“Hi…”

“Hi.”

“Hi…” Beca felt like she couldn’t speak. Couldn’t breathe and could only just manage to repeat the one thing that was being said. The red haired woman smiled widely and Beca blinked all at once dazzled and stunned by just how blue her eyes were. The woman’s lips curved into an amused smile and Beca had to remind herself to close her mouth.

“Did you order…?”

“Yep! That’s us.” Stacie bounded over to grab the bags of food. It was enough to bring Beca back to the here and now. “Thanks. Hey B, ya got that tip?” Beca mutely raised the bill without taking her eyes off the delivery woman.

“That’s so kind, thank you.” It should have sounded sarcastic and on anyone else it would have. But it sounded sincere and so sweet that Beca could only nod in response. She licked her lips as the woman pocketed the bill and turned away. Just for a second she had the urge to follow after her but she stayed rooted until the sound of the front door on the building opening and closing reached her ears. She shook herself as she shut the door and turned to find Stacie with a revoltingly smug look on her face.

“What?”

“Nothing.” Beca glared at her for a second before she tossed her wallet on the table and moved to sit on the floor again. She should have known it wasn’t going to be that easy. Stacie’s voice practically purred. “She was hot. Like really hot.”

“Really? I didn’t notice.” Beca opened a container of noodles and picked up her chopsticks. Stacie just laughed in a way that caused a shiver to chase down her spine. Stacie smiled and reached for the carton of orange chicken. The banter was nice. Stacie made her feel like she could just be herself. It was something she’d never had before. She kinda didn’t even mind the teasing.

“Yeah because you give a fifty dollar tip to every delivery person.”

She snorted and shook her head before stopping as that last bit sunk in. “Wait. What? I did what??”


	2. Chapter 2 - Chloe

It was late and she was tired and sweaty and itchy and she just wanted a hot shower and a cuddle with Aubrey. Chloe turned the key in the lock of her front door and pushed. It didn’t open right away and she groaned. Damnit. It was stuck again. She and Aubrey kept meaning to get someone out to fix it. A handyman or whatever, but Aubrey had been so busy lately at the firm. She was running herself ragged getting ready for a trial. Aubrey was the hardest working junior associate at Hale, Harris and Hoke and it was giving her the edge she needed against the other junior associates. But it was hard. They hardly saw each other these days. Chloe herself was spending most of her days picking up UberEats orders after her shifts at the clinic. Most days, like today, she smelled like a combination of wet dog fur and greasy fast food. Chloe rested her head against the door and sighed. Her hand came up to scratch lightly at her chest with a deep sigh.

She was only doing this side gig because she wanted to take Aubrey on a long weekend away. Just the two of them, so they could reconnect and relax. Chloe jiggled the key in the lock until she heard the scraping as the protesting tumblers fell into place. Thank God. The redhead pushed the door in and stepped into their darkened home. A sigh escaped her and she frowned when she realized that Aubrey wasn’t even home yet. Chloe closed the door behind her, digging her phone out of her jacket pocket as she did. The door bounced open and she jumped, dropping her bags and whirling to see who or what was behind her.

“Bree? Oh my God!”

“Ow! Chloe…are you okay?”

Chloe quickly pulled her soulmate into their tiny condo and shut the door. “Me?? I’m not the one that got a door to the face. Are you okay? I’m so sorry Bree. I didn’t realize you were right behind me.”

Aubrey gave her a tired smile and rubbed her nose lightly. “I’m fine Chlo. I should have said something, I was just in my head. It’s been a long day.” Chloe nodded at that and let her hands slide down Aubrey’s arms to her wrists. She laced their fingers and squeezed. Aubrey’s pale green eyes brightened and she tugged Chloe closer for a kiss. It was sweet and loving and far too short for Chloe’s tastes. “Why do you smell like Chinese food?”

Chloe giggled and scratched her chest idly again as she pulled Aubrey further into the house. She picked up the dropped bag of containers, grateful it all seemed mostly intact. “I picked up something on the way home. I even brought you some cream cheese rangoons.” It wasn’t a lie. After her last pick up came through for Flaming Dragon she decided it would be perfect for dinner. Aubrey took her at face value and nodded with a weary smile. Chloe knew she appreciated the treat even if she was too tired to be excited about it. “C’mon you look beat. Let’s take a shower before we eat and crawl into bed.” She dropped the bags on the counter careful to make sure the contents were okay.

The groan of agreement that Aubrey gave made Chloe tug the blonde toward the master bedroom. “That sounds heavenly. How was work?” It meant something to Chloe that no matter how long or tough her schedule had been the first thing Aubrey always asked her was how her day had gone. Chloe dropped her keys on the dresser, kicked off her shoes and reached out to pull the still pristinely pressed shirt out of Aubrey’s skirt.

“Work was work.” She smiled at her mate as she undid the buttons of her shirt and slid it over her shoulders. It dropped to the floor and she leaned forward to kiss along the taller woman’s collarbone. “We finally got all of Molly’s puppies fostered until adoption.” Her hands trailed over Aubrey’s chest and down her belly loving the soft skin under her fingers. Chloe worked the zipper down the hip of Bree’s skirt and slid it off to land with the discarded shirt. “Someone brought in a fox kit. Looks like she got hit by a car. Dr. Coyle doesn’t think she’ll make it and she’s not socializing well with the dogs. Poor thing has to be isolated or they’ll pick on her.”

The hurt in Chloe’s voice made Aubrey focus past the feel of warm hands on her body. She gave an understanding frown and pulled Chloe in close for long hug. Those types of cases were the hardest for the redhead and she appreciated Aubrey’s support. “I’m sorry Chlo. That sounds horrible. Is there anything you guys can do?”

Chloe tipped her head in thought as Aubrey moved to pull her scrub top up and off. The action made her smile and she wiggled out of her pants. They took care of each other and it was the thing she loved most about them. “She needed surgical repair for her back leg. I think she’ll make it but without a family or any bonds she’s just going to wither through her recovery. Pretty sure she was bred for domestication. She has no social skills whatsoever and… ” It took Chloe a second to realize that Aubrey had stopped moving, had stopped speaking. Maybe even breathing. “Bree?” Nothing. No response. Chloe felt her heart racing and she reached out to her mate. “Wha…”

“Who is Beca?”

Beca? Chloe blinked in confusion then looked to where Aubrey’s gaze seemed frozen. The marks over her heart seemed so foreign now. Before it was just one name and two smudges but now…Chloe swallowed as she traced the second name. Her stunned eyes raised to her mate just in time to see a flicker in their jade depths. A flicker that was quickly hidden but Chloe had seen it. And she knew. She knew what Aubrey was doing. “I honestly don’t know Aubrey. I swear.”

There was silence then Aubrey pulled Chloe against her body for a long lingering kiss. It was soft and meant to be reassuring but Chloe could feel something deeper in it. “Well, you definitely left an impression on her.” It wasn’t cold or mean but it was weighted. Careful. “Let’s just shower and we can try and figure out how to track her down over dinner.”

Chloe didn’t argue it as they stripped out of the rest of their clothes and padded to the shower. She wanted to find her second mate. And her third. She wanted them to know Aubrey because she had a sneaking suspicion they would all be fast friends. But Aubrey thought that having more than one mark meant having to lose your mate before you got another. Chloe didn’t even know how to argue that with her. It wasn’t as if they knew anyone else besides each other with more than one mark. Really they had no reference for what would happen in this situation, and while they had talked about the what ifs of another mark becoming clearer they maybe hadn’t talked about it enough. The warm spray of the water was amazing. It soothed the already tense muscles of her shoulders and back. Chlo pulled her mate closer under the water and nosed her way to the crook of Aubrey’s neck. “I’m not giving you up Aubrey. I’m never going to give you up. You know that right?”

There was a quiet sound above her that she couldn’t decipher. It could have been an agreement or just a sound to placate her in the moment. Chloe wasn’t sure but she didn’t know how else to reassure Aubrey that she wasn’t going anywhere. Bree’s arms were warm around her as they held each other, both unsure what to say just then. She sighed softly and picked up the loofah sponge realizing that words were failing her and she needed Aubrey to know so much more than she could even explain. She needed her mate to know she loved her endlessly, that they were a team, that they would always be team Chaubrey. Chloe added the soap and started slowly washing the strains of Aubrey’s day away.

Aubrey’s body relaxed a little more with every touch, turning to let Chloe work the loofah over her shoulders and down her back. When Chloe had gotten Aubrey’s back lathered she leaned into it, choosing to bring the loofah around to Bree’s belly and up over her breasts. Her hands lingered there, fingertips brushing lightly over nipples gone hard from her gentle touches. Chloe smiled against the skin of Aubrey’s neck and pulled back reluctantly. Aubrey turned to rinse and Chloe brought the loofah down to her mate’s wrist to wash the make-up off it. As usual, Aubrey didn’t look. She never looked whenever her marks were revealed. Just under Chloe’s name two other smudges stood out darkly. She knew Aubrey had tried to rid herself of the other two. Laser surgery, derm-abrasion, plastic surgery…everything. She wished Aubrey wouldn’t be so ashamed of them but her mate didn’t take comfort in the marks the same way that she did. For Aubrey, Chloe was all that was necessary in her heart. Chloe understood why, they’d been together forever and if she didn’t have her other marks she probably wouldn’t even know something was missing in her life.

It had all seemed so distant and far away, the thought of having another person to fill her heart seemed like so much fairytale. But now it was suddenly too real and too close. Chloe realized they hadn’t been prepared for this. Not really.

“Au…”

“Chlo…” Aubrey smiled at her and she gave a slight nod to let her mate start. “Chloe…I love you. I know you love me too. That’s not even a question.” There was that flicker of something again in Aubrey’s eyes that broke Chloe’s heart and made her press in closer against Bree’s body as if that would chase away the shadow over them. “I just want you to know that whatever happens next we’ll work through it. However we have to. I…”

Aubrey’s words trailed off unspoken as Chloe kissed her with all the love that filled her heart. Bree responded with hesitation and Chloe hated it. She pulled Aubrey closer, lips and teeth nibbling hungrily and she didn’t stop until Aubrey really kissed her back. Chloe pulled back and rested their foreheads together. “Aubrey I have loved you since the second grade when you punched Bumper Allen for throwing a rock at me and calling me ginger devil’s spawn. And I’m gonna love you until my last breath. You’re mine and I’m yours.” Regardless of anyone else they were destined to love. Chloe’s fingers stroked over the mark on Aubrey’s wrist. “I was here first.” Her smile softened and she raised Aubrey’s hand to the marks on her own chest. “You were here first, Bree.”

Aubrey’s lip curled a little at the memory and she leaned in and brushed soft lips over the scar on Chloe’s forehead. “That little dick lick deserved it.” Chloe’s name had been etched on her wrist since they were eight. They were supposed to be together no matter what. It wasn’t totally fine, Chloe could see that, but it was better. Aubrey let her body melt into her mate’s, some of the worry and tension in her muscles melting away. “Are you sure you want to be a vet? You’re a natural debater. You could be an amazing lawyer.”

“Nah, my job is way more fun. I get to pet soft kitties all day. Wait. No. That seems…You know what I mean!” Aubrey’s laugh was music to her ears. Chloe’s smile widened at the tiny snort that escaped in the middle of Bree’s giggle fit. They were going to be okay. She knew it, she just had to convince Aubrey of it too. “I love you Bree.”

Aubrey let her laughter die down but her smile didn’t fade. She had Chloe and Chloe had her. They would manage this the way they did everything else. Together. “I love you too Chloe. More than I even know how to say.”

“Oh. Well if you don’t have the words maybe….you could show me?” Chloe’s laugh bounced off the tile walls as Aubrey rushed her, pressing them against the cool wall. The Universe or whatever omnipotent being was out there didn’t make mistakes, she was sure of it. Just like she was sure everything would work out just the way it was supposed to. She just had to figure out who the heck Beca was. Tomorrow it would drive her nuts, not knowing where she had run into her mystery mate but tonight, with Aubrey’s warm hand between her legs she just couldn’t bring herself to worry about it. Tonight they had each other and that was all Chloe needed to be happy.


	3. Chapter 3 - Beca

The sound of her phone vibrating on the desk right next to her ear jerked Beca away. It was a painfully rude awakening and all her back muscles protested. “Ugh.” She really had to stop falling asleep while mixing, it really wasn’t great on her body. Beca stretched with a wince and a groan and booted her laptop out of sleep mode. It took her a second to remember that her phone had gone off and she blinked rapidly at the screen trying to focus.

Stacie: Hey I’m running late. I ordered from Dolce Vita, can you grab the food?

Beca smiled at the text even as her stomach growled its approval. It had taken a few months of trial and error but Stacie had finally figured out all of Beca’s favorite restaurants and foods. It was something that normally creeped her out but somehow it just seemed right for Stacie. Beca texted out her response with a smirk.

Beca: Are you late because you’re picking up beer or a date?

Stacie: I can’t do both? Kidding. Be there soon.

Beca: you’re totally not kidding are you?

Stacie: *kiss emoji*

It pulled a laugh from her and she scooted out of her chair after loading her most recent mix. Music filtered out of the surround sound and she padded to the kitchen to wash out her coffee mug. Her hands stopped moving under the stream of warm water and she sang the hook for Titanium over her mix. It would fit perfectly. Beca quickly dried the mug and moved back over to her work station to cut and cue the track. She was just about to layer it in when a knock at her door pulled her attention. “It’s open!”

Honestly she thought it would be Stacie at the door and didn’t even consider that it might be someone else. So she didn’t look up from her soundboard as she worked. The track layered perfectly and she closed her eyes to listen with a smile. Beca moved her head to the beat and sang along with the track, completely lost in her creation. Until an unfamiliar voice harmonized perfectly with hers, weaving around her lyrics with perfect pitch. Beca’s eyes flew open and she whirled looking sharply at the door, her mouth dropping in surprise. She just wasn’t sure what she was more surprised by really. The amazing voice or the person it belonged to.

“Sorry. I couldn’t help myself. It’s kind of my favorite song. Um. Delivery for Stacie?”

A long second passed before Beca shook herself and closed her mouth. “Oh! Uh. Yeah. That’s. Yes.” What the actual hell? Why were words so difficult for her to form around this woman? Beca cleared her throat and gestured awkwardly at the small dining table. It was big enough to seat four but it only had two chairs. And neither of them matched the table. She noticed the delivery person taking in everything with interest and mild amusement. Her bright eyes falling on the mismatched dining set with curiosity. It made Beca nervous and self-conscious. She reached around and scratched nervously at the spot between her shoulder blades. “I uh…”

Sapphire blue eyes raised to meet hers and Beca’s words trailed off. Which was fine because she wasn’t entirely sure what she would have said to justify her terrible sense of interior design. “So you’re really into music. You have an amazing voice.”

Beca nodded mutely and uttered an inarticulate sputter of thanks. The redhead smiled wider and Beca had to drop her eyes and look away. She cleared her throat and looked around for her wallet. “Uh tip…hang on…just uh…one…”

The woman placed the bag of food on the table and reached out a hand to stop Beca’s flustered search. “That’s okay! I um…you gave me a pretty amazing tip last time I was here. Actually I kinda feel like I maybe owe you some change. I don’t think you meant to give me so much…” Beca’s eyes widened when she realized the woman was reaching into her pocket to pull out cash.

“I don’t want your money!” Wait. No that sounded not how she meant it. Beca waved a frantic hand trying to erase the last few minutes of her life. “I mean no it’s fine. I mean I didn’t mean to but it’s okay that I did. Not that I’m rolling in it. As you can tell. But it’s like fine or whatever.” The other woman’s brows rose and she reached up to rub a hand over her chest.  It was kind of an endearing gesture and Beca caught herself smiling stupidly.

They stood there a moment just staring at each other before woman dragged her attention away from Beca’s lips. “Thanks. I’m saving for a weekend trip aw…oh!” She jumped forward when the door to Beca’s apartment swung open unexpectedly slamming into her back. For a second there was just a flurry of hair and limbs and then Beca found herself with arms full of a warm solid weight.

“…Sorry? Didn’t realize was I was walking into anything.” Of course. She tipped her head to the side to look around the delivery woman’s shoulder and right into Stacie’s very amused face. “Don’t mind me though, I’ll just be right here drinking.” Beca’s eyes narrowed and the woman in her arms righted herself with an amused giggle.

“Are you okay?” Finally! Finally she had something other to say than gay panic noises and grumpy mutters. The woman nodded, still chuckling softly. “You sure?”

“I’m good. Honestly. This has been a…well a really weird delivery. But fun I guess.” The woman smiled and Beca reached up to scratch at her back in what was now becoming her go to nervous habit. Beca watched her hesitate, looking between Beca herself and Stacie. “So…you guys should drop by Sardos in Burbank later. It’s karaoke competition tonight and I think you could kill it.”

“Oh uh yeah. Sure. I love karaoke. Cool. Coolcoolcoolcool.”

Stacie snorted and they both broke to turn and look at her. “Someone once told me you would rather sacrifice a limb to a bear trap than sing karaoke. They must have been wrong.” She took a sip of her beer managing to look both smug and suggestive at the same time.

Beca glared and shook her head slowly at Stacie knowing damn well she had said it herself. Oh she’d get Stacie for that later. “Definitely wrong. I love it. It’s my favorite. I do it all the time.” Lies. All lies. The delivery woman looked back and forth between them in mild confusion, trying to read what was really happening. After a second she gave them each smile that clearly said they were both weirdos and she kind of liked it. “So. Sardos?”

“Yes! I hope to see you there. Both of you. People get there around nine.” She looked at her watch and gave a little jump when she realized what time it was. Beca thought it was frickin’ adorable. “Well…enjoy your order! I better get home if I’m going to make it in time.” Beca raised a hand to wave as the woman backed out the door and finally left. A breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding finally eased out and she slapped her hand directly over her face. Her knees gave out and Beca found herself slumping over the back of the couch, unable to support herself under the weight of her embarrassment.

“So….” Of course. Beca’s frame tensed waiting for the inevitable.

“Shut up Stacie.” The only response her friend gave was a gleeful laugh. Beca sat up and tried to glare but Stacie only laughed harder. “This isn’t funny.”

“Oh it’s soooo funny. You totally have a thing with that hot delivery girl.”

Beca’s nose scrunched in an expression of disgust. “I do not have a thing! There was no thing! We don’t have a thing!” But she could feel her voice getting higher and more shrill with each passing statement. There was no way to solidly deny that she had a thing so she flopped back over the couch. “Oh my God I totally have a thing. What is happening to me?”

“We going to Sardos then?” Beca hadn’t seen her move because her face was pressed against the backrest of the sofa but she felt her Stacie’s warm weight on her back. It was far more reassuring and comfortable than Beca would ever admit out loud.

She didn’t even try to fight it this time and sighed in resignation. “Yeah…” But at least she wasn’t going alone. Beca had a second to think about the position she was putting herself in and then shrugged. For the first time since she could remember she wasn’t obsessing on the hows and whys of her attraction. She just wanted to be wherever that girl was. It should have told her something but all she could think about was the way she had felt in Beca’s arms.

“Yay!” Beca laughed under Stacie and turned her head to eye the taller woman.

“You’re going to be smug all night aren’t you?” Stacie pretended to think about it for a second before she lifted off Beca’s back giving her a playful smack to the ass.

“Probably. You better eat and get ready. Sardos is at least a 40 minute drive and you can’t wear that.” Beca raised herself from the back of the couch rubbing her stinging butt cheek and frowned. One glance down told her she was fine. Okay a little wrinkly from her nap at the desk but who didn’t love a good plaid button up?

“What’s wrong with my clothes?” She brought her eyes up to Stacie’s who only gave her a pitying look and a small headshake. “What?”

“You sit and eat. I’m digging in your closet. Hope you put your sex toys away.”

Beca gave her a snort as she moved to the table and pulled out a chair. “That’s not where I keep them!” Stacie’s laugh echoed back from somewhere in her room and she gave a quiet chuckle. In the back of her mind she knew she should be more worried about this. About her complete and total 180 on her no dating rule. But this wasn’t a date right? It was just two friends going to hang out with some hot delivery stranger for a night of drinking and singing. And maybe if she was lucky she’d actually get mystery girl’s name this time. Beca stopped with a fork full of extra cheesy baked ziti halfway to her mouth as realization dawned on her. “Oh shit. I don’t even know her name…”


	4. Chapter 4 - Aubrey

She was running late, but then these days she was always running late. There just weren’t enough hours in the day to get through all the client meetings and court appearances let alone all the man hours that went into research and preparation. Granted there were always paralegals to do a lot of the leg work but she just couldn’t leave everything up to them. She had to be sure of every single piece of information they collected before she acted on it. Some called her a micromanager. Others called her worse, but none of that mattered. What mattered was that she was bringing in a steady stream of clients that paid well for the firm and she  _always_  got results.

Pretty soon all her long hours and hard work would pay off. Granted she still had years to go to get to where she wanted to be but she had earned herself some good will and a very nice bonus. Which she was planning on using to take Chloe somewhere nice. Somewhere just for the two of them, at least for a few days. She knew she had been so consumed with work and her clients that she’d been a little too preoccupied to be present and it was costing her the single most important part of her life. Aubrey just wasn’t ready for her relationship with Chloe to be over but if it was coming to an end she wanted Chloe to know how much she meant to her every chance she got. Aubrey pulled into the driveway with a sigh seeing Chloe’s car already parked in the driveway. The blonde eased out of her vehicle with a groan and stretched. Her spine let out several loud pops in protest and Aubrey tried to sigh away some of the tension. There was no point in thinking too hard about what was coming. She couldn’t stop it any more than she could erase mystery Beca’s name off Chloe’s chest. The best she could do was try to be more present, to remind Chloe that Aubrey would always love her. And she could maybe try harder to get home on time. Especially when they had standing plans every Wednesday night.

Aubrey made her way to the front door with sharp taps of her heels, the keys in her hand jingling as she pushed the key in the lock and twisted. As expected the key didn’t turn all the way and she had to push then pull the door, jiggling the key as she twisted. It reluctantly turned but it was enough and she pushed the door in with a hard shove. They really had to get it fixed, eventually her little door trick would stop working and one of them would end up locked out of the house. Aubrey put it on her to do list at the back of her mind as she hurried past the living room and kitchen and into the master bedroom. She could hear the shower and smiled. If she could get undressed quickly enough she might still have time to join her mate. Aubrey hurried into the walkin closet and kicked off her heels. She was focused single mindedly on the task at hand, quickly removing the blouse and tossing it into the laundry basket. She was so focused she didn’t notice the honey yellow eyes watching her or the soft grunt of annoyance when her blouse landed heavily. Aubrey pulled the zipper down on her skirt, shimmied out of it and turned to drop it in the laundry basket as well. Rustle of movement drew her attention and she blinked at a pair of eyes watching her warily from basket.

It wasn’t like her really to scream, it just wasn’t her go to response to shock and surprise but this time was different. This time something was alive. IN HER LAUNDRY BASKET. When Aubrey screamed so did the thing watching her. She stumbled back toward the door of the closet stumbling until she bumped hard against Chloe. “Wha…oh! Oh my God! Bree don’t, it’s okay!”

Chloe’s warm reassuring weight at her back snapped Aubrey out of her shock and she turned to ask what the hell was going and what the hell was that…that…thing but eyes landed on Chloe’s very naked body still dripping water from the shower she had presumably leapt out of at Aubrey’s scream. She blinked once then twice, momentarily forgetting her surprise as Chloe’s body affected her as it always did. She gave herself a shake and finally found her voice. “Chloe what the hell?”

She didn’t get a response right away and Aubrey realized immediately that Chloe had brought the animal home without permission. “I can explain everything.” It was so clear, she didn’t know why she hadn’t expected it. “I had to do something Bree. She was getting bullied and her recovery wasn’t going as well as it could. It’s only for a little while I promise…”

“You stole the fox from work didn’t you?”

Chloe winced and gave a shrug that was entirely too innocent to be genuine. “Kinda?” She could tell Aubrey wasn’t really mad when she gave a deep sigh and rolled her eyes. And really how was Aubrey supposed to say no Chloe? It was just…impossible. So she didn’t even try, she just gave in with an amused if exasperated chuckle.

“What am I going to do with you?” Chloe’s lips pulled in to a sunny smile, laughing when Aubrey dropped her hands to her sides in defeat. She ran a hand over Aubrey’s hip tugging her mate closer.

“I can think of a few things.” Aubrey’s eyes widened but her own lips curved. She leaned forward into Chloe’s toned body and hummed happily. Their lips came together in a slow, deep kiss. A softly huffed whine of annoyance made them both laugh and fall into an easy embrace. “Hush Bella.”

Aubrey pulled back and looked at the fox then Chloe. “Bella?”

“I thought giving her a name might help us bond. You don’t like it?”

Aubrey smiled and traced the line of Chloe’s jaw with a fingertip. “It’s perfect.” She gave the fox a quick glance. “Is she going to be okay here while we go to Sardos? Should we stay in to take care of her?”

Chloe smiled at her and Aubrey raised a brow wondering what had earned her the soft kiss to her collarbone. “I love you. And yes, she’ll be fine. She crawled in there as soon as I brought her home. She’ll probably stay in there most of the night until she feels a little more secure. Then she’ll start investigating. And as much as I would love a night alone with you I kinda sorta invited some friends to karaoke tonight.”

It wasn’t like they didn’t have friends but something about the statement made Aubrey’s heart stop. “Oh.” She blinked once and gave a nod hoping to seem casual as she edged past Chloe to pad into the bathroom. Chloe came up behind her as she stood in front of the mirror pulling out all of the bobby pins that held her hair perfectly in place. “Who’d you invite?” It was light and she smiled at Chloe in the mirror as her mate slid arms around her waist from behind.

“Aubrey please stop. We have to talk about this.” There it was. She wasn’t prepared, she hadn’t planned for this. Aubrey meticulously planned every step of her life. But this one thing, this one damn thing, she hadn’t even seen coming. The worst part of it was that she should have. They had always known ‘someday’ would eventually turn into today. Aubrey took a steadying breath and turned in Chloe’s arms.

“It’s okay Chloe, if you’ve found her and…” Aubrey stopped and bit her lip. She didn’t really have more to say so she lightly bumped her forehead against Chloe’s and slid out of her arms intending to get in the shower where she would have a minute to herself to just get her heart to stop crumbling. Surprisingly the spray was still warm when she turned on the water and stepped in. She stuck her head under it because it was easier than feeling Chloe’s eyes on her. “Everything is okay.” It sounded like she was trying to convince herself and she knew that her mate could hear it too.

“Bree…I didn’t find her. I…can you just…damnit Bree.” Aubrey stopped moving when she felt Chloe get in the shower right behind her. Somehow this was where they worked out all of their issues and she realized it was probably the only place Chloe could trap her so she didn’t find something else to distract her from whatever heaviness was between them. Arms slid around her middle and Chloe’s warm weight rested along her back. “I didn’t find her Aubrey, I didn’t even look. But I do have to tell you something and I don’t want you to do the thing you do.”

She couldn’t help the drop of her shoulders as she turned her head to look at Chloe. “What thing?”

Chloe’s smile was soft and she rolled her eyes playfully. “You know what I’m talking about. The thing you do when you berate yourself until feeling like donkey turds. I just need you to listen is all.” The pleading look was enough and Aubrey gave a short nod of her head, trying to relax even though she already knew she wasn’t going to like what she was about to hear.

“Go on…” Chloe kissed her shoulder and reflexively tightened her grip, keeping Aubrey right where she was. “Chlo you’re starting to sca…”

“I’ve been picking up UberEats orders for almost two months and I met these really nice girls that I invited to karaoke. One of them, Stacie I think, has an amazing voice. If she’s not someone big in the industry right now she will be. Maybe she could use a good lawyer.” There was silence as she let that sink in. It wasn’t at all what she expected Chloe to say which was fantastic. Except this was somehow worse because Chloe had been putting in extra work hours for two months and she hadn’t even noticed. “I didn’t tell you about the extra work because I wanted it to be a surprise. And the invite is just because it’s nice to meet new people. And I think we’ll all be really good friends. I just have a feeling.”

Her brow furrowed at that and Aubrey turned fully to look at Chloe, willing to hear it all before she let the guilt set in. “You wanted what exactly to be a surprise?”

Chloe reached up and cupped Aubrey’s face in a hand, bringing their lips together in a light kiss. “I want to take you away for a weekend. Just us. You’ve been working so hard and I just thought it would be nice to go do something different. Something outside of L.A. and the tornado that is work and all your needy clients…” Chloe trailed of when the chuckle bubbled up from Aubrey’s chest.

“Most of whom will be at karaoke tonight. I’m sorry Chloe. I haven’t been a very good partner or mate.” She would have kept going but one ginger brow raised and Aubrey stopped before she even got started. “I’m sorry that’s all. I should have been more attentive but I can make it up to you. I’m off the rest of the week. I wanted a little alone time with you too.” The delighted surprise widening Chloe’s eyes was almost enough to make her stop feeling like a heel.

“The whole rest of the week? No drop ins to the office?” Aubrey shook her head and laughed when Chloe pulled her closer to kiss attack her face. “Bree we’re gonna have so much fun. Just you me and Bella. I’m gonna ask Emily and Jess if they’ll pick up my shifts…babe this is so exciting! We haven’t had a vacation since…wait. We’ve never had vacation together before!” It was infectious and Aubrey found herself really smiling at Chloe’s excitement despite the nagging roil of her stomach. “Okay. You finish showering! I’m going to make a couple of calls.”

Aubrey reached out and grabbed Chloe’s hand before she was out of the shower, pulling her back against her chest. “Hey. I love you.” Even though she couldn’t see it with her face buried in Chloe’s neck, she knew her mate was smiling. Chloe smiled with her whole body and it was one of Aubrey’s favorite things about her.

“I love you too.” Aubrey gave Chloe one final kiss on the shoulder and stepped back into the now lukewarm spray. “Did you hear that Bella? Mommy and I are taking you on a trip!” She could hear a responding chittering yap almost as if the fox actually understood Chloe and had responded. Aubrey’s paused mid lather as she let that sink in.

“Wait…did we just adopt a fox? Chlo…? Chloe?” Damnit. And she couldn’t even really be mad about it. She just put another note on her to do list. Research everything she could about foxes. Somehow she didn’t think ‘a few days’ really meant just a few days. Aubrey jumped when the water suddenly turned cold, reminding her that there were more pressing matters to focus on. Everything else would just have to wait.


	5. Chapter 5 - Stacie

“So I guess this is a thing now?” Stacie raised her gaze from her phone and smirked at Beca’s awkward shift from foot to foot. One dark brow raised in question and Beca brought her hand up to gesture at the line of people all waiting to be let into Sardos. Stacie glanced at the line and smiled at her friend.

“Maybe they were all invited by your new girlfriend.” Because really who would turn down an invitation from that woman? She was hot and she seemed genuinely nice. But also. Hot. Very very hot. Beca shot her an annoyed look and she laughed. “Oh c’mon Becs, it’s not that bad. We’re near the front, we’ll get in soon enough.”

Beca sighed and crossed her arms over her body before leaning moodily against the wall. Part of it was trying to cover her exposed sides and part of it was just Beca being surly. Really Beca had no reason to hide herself, the muscle tee look good with her skinny jeans. And it all looked good on Beca. Stacie let her gaze drift down Beca’s small, slender frame then brought her eyes back to her phone screen. She didn’t want to let her thoughts drift too far down that road. Beca had made it pretty clear she didn’t want anything to do with dating. Or fucking. Well. Except for this chick she was totally into. Enough to go out to a karaoke night at a bar. “I mean who even waits in line for karaoke of all things??”

A few people turned to eye Beca but she either didn’t notice or didn’t care. “You apparently.” She wasn’t annoyed really. It was probably just nerves with Beca. So far they hadn’t seen her crush and it was already edging on 10 pm. Honestly Stacie thought GrumpyPants Beca was kind of adorable. Especially when she twisted her arm back to scratch her back in a nervous habit like she was now. “You really want to get inside?” She added just a little purr to the question, letting her eyes trace Beca’s body again.

“How do you always make things dirty even when they aren’t? Is that like…your superpower or whatever?” Stacie raised her shoulder in a slight shrug her lips curving in a teasing smile. She loved making her friend uncomfortable. Not because she wanted to be a dick or anything, she just liked the way Beca got all flustered by the attention. It was weirdly cute and endearing. Things she’d never really thought about anyone before.

“Well if you don’t really want to go in I guess we can hang out here, just the two of us. And 50 or so karaoke nerds.” Beca’s eyes narrowed when Stacie stepped into her personal space probably anticipating more teasing. “We could just go home too. If this is getting to be a little much.” She meant that. If Beca really felt that weird and annoyed about this they could bounce. She wouldn’t be bothered. But she was starting to get to know Beca pretty well. And Stacie didn’t think she was ready throw in the towel just yet. Still. The option was there, they could go right now and just have some drinks and spend the time talking about music or surprisingly…politics. It would still be a good time just the two of them.

“I didn’t say that.” She smiled widely and shoulder bumped Beca playfully. “I just didn’t expect all…this.” Truthfully she hadn’t expected all these people either. It was kind of weird actually.  More than a few people stared at them wonderingly. It wasn’t constant but every now and again they’d get a long considering look from yet another person in line. “I don’t wanna go yet. I don’t even know why I’m doing this really. I just kinda feel like there is something about her. Something different.”

“Something special.” Beca turned and gave Stacie a slow nod still managing to look like she didn’t understand at all why she felt that way. Something in her chest panged at the slightly lost look in Beca’s eyes. Stacie’s lips pulled into a smile and sighed. Well now they had to get into Sardos. “Alright then. Grab your tits and let’s go.”  

Beca gave her an amused if questioning frown but let herself be dragged to the other side of the rope and to the front of the line. “Really?” Stacie stopped a few feet from the front and turned to give Beca a once over. She took the time to fix Beca’s hair, neatly evading the hand slapping Beca aimed her way. “Wha…dude what the fuck?”

“Shh. Just stand there and look pissy. Yes! Just like that.” Beca rolled her eyes giving her resting bitch face that much more annoyance. It was perfect. And it totally didn’t matter that Beca was directing that look at her, she was going to use it anyway. Stacie grabbed Beca’s hand and pulled them up toward the host at the door. “Hiiiii…”

He barely looked up at her then flicked his eyes back down to his clipboard. It annoyed and kind of offended Stacie. She put a lot of effort into making her rack look that flawless, the least he could do was give her a little ogle. “You here for PSK?” What the fuck was psk? She looked at Beca who shrugged. Okay well when in doubt act like you know what the fuck is going on.

“Yup.  That’s us. Contributing to the PSK.” He gave her a look as if he were trying to decide if she was on something or just weird. “How long do you think the wait is gonna be?”

She could feel Beca behind her shifting from foot to foot in mute agitation. The guy looked back and forth between them then blinked as if realizing something. “You’re not supposed to wait in line for PSK.” Stacie gave him a slight frown. “Porn stars go right in.” He unhooked the rope to the front and she swore she could feel Beca swell up like a puffer fish about to explode.

“Excuse me??” There was a beat of silence where he looked at Beca as if unsure what the hell her fucking problem was. Stacie looked over her shoulder and gave Beca a look to shut her up before she yanked her hand and strutted them past the rope.

“Sorry about her. She prefers freelance sex worker. C’mon B…thank you!” Beca pulled against her hand but Stacie tightened her grip and led her inside quickly before the guy realized they didn’t know what the hell he was talking about.

“Dude!” Beca had finally managed to free herself from Stacie’s grip, giving a ‘what the fuck’ flail of her arms. “Does it not bother you even a little that he thinks we’re…porn stars?” The way Beca had whispered the last, glancing furtively around like she was saying a bad word made Stacie laugh a little. “It’s rude.”

Stacie shrugged and sidled up to the bar. “Eh. I’ve been called worse.” The bartender gave her a nod and smiled finally giving her boobs an appreciative glance. “Two amaretto sours and two beers. Whatever dark you have in the bottle. Thanks.” She turned and returned the look Beca was giving her. “What? The beers are for you.”

“Thanks.” Stacie gave the bartender her card and smiled. He was cute, not a bad body either. If Beca ended up hooking up with Delivery Chick maybe she’d swing his way before she left. She’d have to get her card anyway. They spent a few minutes eye fucking each other while he made her drinks but really she was only mildly interested. It was habit now, just flirt with people and see what happens. So far nothing worth writing home about. No names had really formed on her skin so she should have been happy. Thrilled even. But she wasn’t. Not even a little bit. Stacie picked up the beers and handed them to Beca. When she turned back around to grab her drinks she happened to catch a flash of red and gaze tracked to it immediately.

Beside her Beca went still, her eyes trained to the redhead already. “You don’t suppose she’s a porn star do ya, B?” Stacie didn’t think so. She watched a lot of porn and she’d never seen her face before. But she was going to make it a point to search pornhub later that night. Beca blinked twice at her and her mouth sagged open as she struggled to come up with some kind of response. Stacie grinned and bumped her shoulder. “We should go say hel….oh.”

They stood there frozen as the redhead laughed and turned to kiss a blonde woman in a way that suggested they knew each other well. Like Biblically well. She turned her head to see if Beca was seeing her crush kissing someone. She had thought Beca looked a little lost earlier but that was nothing to the well of disappointment and loneliness she saw now. But it was over quickly, whatever Beca was feeling she walled off immediately and hid it behind a steel wall of cool detachment. “We should go before she…oh fuck she saw us. Jesus Christ. Okay. Just be cool, everybody be cool.”

Stacie wasn’t sure if Beca was trying to calm herself down or not but it didn’t look like it was working. So she did the only thing she could think of and tipped Beca’s beer up to lips and let her friend drink while she turned and smiled winningly at the two approaching women. “You guys made it!! I’m so glad, I was just about to go out and see if you were in the line.”

She wasn’t an unfriendly person, and she liked physical contact. Even just small touches and brief hugs. So she wasn’t at all bothered by the big hug she was enveloped in immediately, it was more that she was surprised by how real it felt. How perfectly welcoming it felt. How much it reminded her of what she was missing even though she swore she didn’t want it. “Yup we made it. Just had to pretend to be porn stars to get in. No big deal.”

Beca coughed a little as she choked on her beer and threw a death glare Stacie’s way. “Chloe…you didn’t warn them?” Stacie felt a shiver chase itself down her spine at the high sweet voice.

“Oops. I forgot. It’s porn star karaoke tonight. Bree has a lot of clients that attend so we’re kinda regulars. I just don’t even think about it anymore.” She dismissed it with a wave of her hand and another bubbly smile that somehow explained everything and nothing at all. “We have a table, come sit and we can get to know each other.”

Beca gave a slight squawk at the hug she received and threw Stacie a panicked look. There was no getting away now. Stacie offered her friend a reassuring nod and gave Chloe and Bree a warm smile. Chloe and Bree. She said it again in her head one more time so she wouldn’t forget and followed them to a small high table just big enough to hold their drinks. “So are any of your clients any good?” The blonde raised her head sharply and gave a surprised blink. “At karaoke?” There was a soft snicker from Chloe and the nervous tension dissipated making the moment immediately more comfortable.

“Oh. Um. Well they’re definitely not trained singers but they have a lot of fun. A few of them are pretty good though. We’ve had stiff competition in the past.” Bree didn’t look like she hated that thought. Stacie thought the blonde kind of liked the competition. Maybe a lot. There was a challenging gleam in her eye that made Stacie that much more curious.

“Yikes.” They all turned to Beca who was looking at the first person already starting to sing. Amused horror flitted across her face until she realized she was being watched. “Uh, sorry. You were saying?” A particular shrill note made them all wince. “Definitely shouldn’t be worried about that one.”

“Aw, Lindsey is really nice. She’s just a little bit pitchy.” Chloe noticed the way Stacie let gaze drift over the woman on stage and leaned in. “I could introduce you if you want.” Stacie turned pale green eyes toward Chloe and raised her brow in question. “You looked interested.”

“Chloe you haven’t even introduced  _us_ yet.” The blonde gave an affectionate eye roll and held out her hand first to Beca and then to Stacie. “I’m Aubrey. This is Chloe, my sometimes eager and forgetful better half.” Stacie wasn’t sure why that was so disappointing to hear. She knew they were together, had even just seen them kiss. She KNEW they were an item. And yet she still felt…something about the confirmation of it. She wasn’t sure what and she searched Aubrey’s face as she tried to figure it out.

There was something familiar about the features. The shape of her nose, the set of her jaw maybe. She wasn’t sure but she just felt like this woman was familiar somehow. “I’m sorry! Bree this is Stacie and her girlfriend…oh my God I don’t even know your name. I’m so sorry.” It took Stacie a minute to realize Chloe was speaking to her. Beca laughed and shook her head.

“Actually she’s Stacie and we’re not. Girlfriends. We’re neighbors we just order a lot of food together. It’s pretty cool. I mean not cool like we’re cool but it’s a cool time. Just being all chill.” It was almost like Beca couldn’t stop herself from talking so she quickly tipped her beer to her lips and drank thirstily. Chloe looked as amused as Stacie felt but Aubrey looked something else entirely. It wasn’t hostility exactly but it was as if she were silently trying to classify Beca so she knew how to handle her.

“Speak for yourself B, I’m totally cool.” It made the corners of Beca’s lips tug into a smile and she nudged her playfully. “You could do worse than me.”

“B? What’s B short for?” Chloe was curious and it was written all over her face. She might be with this Aubrey chick but she was definitely into Beca. That much was clear. And maybe that’s why Aubrey was trying to figure out how to handle Beca. Maybe they had an arrangement? She couldn’t tell yet.

“B is for Beca actually.” For a second the air was pregnant with a heavy stillness. Chloe immediately looked at Aubrey who didn’t even flinch. She simply looked down at her drink and gave a high false laugh.

“I think I need a drink. I’ll bring a round.” Chloe took a step to follow but Aubrey gave her arm a light squeeze and eased through a smattering of people, disappearing before anyone could say anything else. Chloe turned back to them with a distracted smile and chewed her lip.

“Did I say something wrong?” The redhead shook her head and took a deep steadying breath.

“No. Not at all. Bree has had a long couple of days. We both have. Between her firm and my work at the shelter we just haven’t been getting much time together.” It didn’t explain the quick exit at all but Stacie wasn’t going to push it right now. And from the look on her face neither was Beca. It was pretty clear that something was going on. She finished her first drink and picked up the second suddenly glad she’d opted to start with two. “So what do you guys do?”

“I’m an independent producer.” Beca gave the bar a dubious look but turned back to answer Chloe. Stacie could tell that Chloe was interested in what Beca had to say and it looked like Beca was comfortable enough to hold a conversation. It was enough for her to gently elbow Beca to get her attention.

“I’m gonna go help Aubrey with those drinks, you good?” Beca nodded at Stacie her hand coming up to  scratch her back idly. Stacie kissed her on the head and winked at Chloe as she slid off her stool. “Save my seat.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes I know PSK is on Tuesday nights but that didn’t work for me so…


	6. Chapter 6 - Aubrey

If she didn’t slow her breathing she was going to vomit. She knew this. Could even feel the deep acid burn in her chest with each throbbing beat of her heart. Felt the bile rise like a hot tide in the back of her throat. Aubrey clenched her jaw as she deftly avoided clients and work acquaintances, sliding through the crowd of people with polite smiles and a hurried step. Honestly she didn’t even look at the faces she saw, and wasn’t even paying attention to where her steps led her. She knew she was supposed to go to the bar to get a round of drinks but somehow her mind kept skipping tracks as it replayed their introductions over and over again, leaving her stranded and bewildered on the cusp of spewing everything she’d ever eaten in her entire life.

Aubrey stood in the center of a swirl of people just trying to get her bearings. Trying to get the air back into her lungs, because no matter how hard she tried she still couldn’t breathe. The hot sting of tears pricked at the back of her eyelids and she could feel the room narrowing and pressing in on her from all sides. One hand clutched at her chest and oh God is this what having a heart attack felt like? Was she dying right now? A hard body bumped her forward a jerky step as people moved past her to get to the bar and she felt herself unravel a little more. She had never in her life felt more lost or alone than she did right in this moment.

For the first time since she was eight years old she just didn’t know what to do. And the weight of that uncertainty was smothering her, turning her vision dark at the edges. Another person roughly shoved past her pushing her further into the swell of bodies and she felt  _ridiculous_  for her weakness. And she didn’t understand exactly why she couldn’t find the bar, the place wasn’t that big and they’d been there a million times before. They. The word echoed in her head and Aubrey spun quickly trying to catch sight of Chloe or the bar, or the front door. She wasn’t sure and she was nearly blind with disorientation so it wasn’t a surprise when another person jostled around her, knocking her off balance and causing her to crash into someone else.

A steadying arm slipped around her waist and she found herself sagging into the warm familiar comfort of it. There was a brief moment when the panic threatened to swallow her whole again but the arm tightened around her waist and she was led away from the crushing press of people to a somewhat quieter corner. “Hey…you okay?” The voice was in no way familiar and if she could just catch her breath, if she could just pull herself together she might be able to focus. She might be able to think again. Her vision swam in rainbow streams and she struggled to find her anchor before she lost her lunch and her sanity. “Aubrey.” The voice was distant even though she knew whoever it belonged to was standing right there. Hands cupped her face, bringing all her attention to a pair of startlingly clear green eyes.

The moment their gazes locked the roar of the crowd died down to a whisper and the world steadied under her feet. Aubrey shivered as a current of recognition chased itself down her spine. “I…” There weren’t any words really. There was no good explanation for what was happening to her or why, but she tried to find one anyway. Tears that hadn’t yet fallen but were still filling her eyes finally spilled down her cheeks. “I…”

“Breathe. Deep one….hold it, and out. One more. C’mon on.” Stacie took a deep breath, encouraging Aubrey to do the same. She held it a few seconds then let it out slowly. “Good job, one more. In…and out. That’s good.” It helped. Breathing with Stacie helped center her, helped suppress the urge to throw up all over the place. Muscles that had gone tight with anxiety slowly released, making her shiver and twitch. And she hated it. She hated every single tremble that betrayed her. “You’re okay, yeah?”

It was right about then that Aubrey realized she was fully leaning into Stacie’s warm, soft body. She jerked in surprise and pulled back with an embarrassed clearing of her throat. “Yeah. Yes.” Aubrey tugged the hem of her shirt, pulling it back into place with an annoyed sniff. “Yes, thank you. I just got turned around and I…” There was no point in even trying to pretend like she was fine. She wasn’t. Aubrey wiped the tears from her face and took another deep settling breath. “I’m fine.” She snapped her mouth closed with a click and straightened her shoulders.

Stacie eyed her for a very long time but it was neither judging nor calculating and truth be told Aubrey didn’t know how to handle that. So she pushed back and scanned the room until she found the bar. The bar was familiar. It was safe territory. Somehow being back in the throng of people felt like a much safer place to be. “Okay. You wanna grab those drinks?”

What? “What?” Oh. Oh the drinks. Aubrey shook her head to clear it of the last lingering web of confusion and gave a sharp nod. “Right. Drinks. Yes.” She took another deep breath, fully pulling herself together and tightening her vise like self-control. Stacie watched in fascination as Aubrey rebuilt herself from a full blown panic attack in one moment to a fully composed and self-assured woman the next. Aubrey turned and marched her way to the bar with Stacie trailing along behind her an amused smirk tugging the corner of her lips. It was remarkable really but somehow not at all surprising. Aubrey stopped at the bar and turned to look back, catching Stacie’s pondering gaze with a raised brow. “What’s your poison?”

The taller woman gave a half laugh and moved to Aubrey’s side, leaning against the bar casually. As if she’d done it every night of her life and was perfectly at home in her own skin. It was something that Aubrey both admired and envied. “I’ll have whatever you’re having and Becs will probably appreciate a beer.” Right. Beca. Aubrey didn’t dare turn her head to where she knew Chloe and Beca were seated. She didn’t trust her fragile heart not to shatter when she looked at them. Instead she gave a tight nod that made Stacie tip her head in interest. It was a look Aubrey wasn’t entirely comfortable with so she turned her head and smiled at the bartender.

“Hey Jesse, how’s it going tonight?” Her favorite bartender smiled widely and made his way to her end of the bar. He leaned forward enough to speak without having to yell but it placed him directly between both women.

“You know Wednesday night is my favorite night of the week.” She gave him a genuine if small smile and shook her head knowingly.

“Of course it is. Horn dog.” He laughed and gave Stacie a slight nod of acknowledgement. His eyes stayed on her even as he turned his head slightly to speak.

“I prefer perv, but horn dog is an acceptable alternative.” For her part, Stacie seemed to not notice him and it made him smile cockily. “Who’s our new friend?” Stacie looked at him for a half second, her gaze drifting to Aubrey with something that Aubrey swore was a mild challenge. One she couldn’t fathom in the slightest, yet kind of liked? The thought in itself was confusing so she packed it away to the back of her mind and focused on keeping her back to where Chloe and Beca were.

“This is Stacie, she’s a new friend.” It felt…odd to say friend. She had just met the woman and really hadn’t made a stellar first impression by running off to lose control of all good sense. But it would be rude and ungrateful to say otherwise. Not especially when Stacie had pretty much rescued her from embarrassing herself further. “We’ll have two Amaretto sours, one Adios and a beer.”

“Dark.” Aubrey gave a nod to Jesse and gestured to Stacie.

“And one Foothills.”

“Two Amarettos, one Adios Motherfucker and one Sexual Chocolate. Check.” His smirking smile was flirty when Stacie’s eyes widened in amused surprised. Aubrey got the impression she was amused often.

“Make that two Jess. Thank you.” To her credit Stacie waited until Jesse had moved down the bar to prepare their drinks before she brought it up. ‘It’ being her…episode. Aubrey played with a cardboard coaster, batting it between her hands along the bar top. It was something her mother would have disapproved of and she immediately stopped, pushed the coaster forward and lining it up neatly with the other coasters placed at each seat.

“So…you really okay?” Aubrey looked up and met Stacie’s gaze but couldn’t hold it. There was something too searching and intent for her to face head on.

“Of course. I just felt a little out of sorts. It’s warm in here and I forgot to have lunch. It made me lightheaded.” Stacie didn’t say anything for a very long time and Aubrey chanced a quick glance to her face to try and read the recrimination in it. She didn’t find any and it made her frown in confusion. She was so sure she knew what would be waiting for her in Stacie’s expression. So sure she knew Stacie so well even though they’d technically just met.

“Okay.” There was a beat of silence but Aubrey didn’t exactly trust it. Stacie had given in far too easily. She didn’t expect that anyone would politely ignore what was obviously a moment of weakness. Not especially the kind of person that she assumed Stacie was, momentary kindness notwithstanding. “So can I ask you a question?” Aubrey’s shoulders stiffened and she gave a short jerk of her head by way of agreement. “You ordered Amaretto sours. Freaking coincidence or did you notice my drink because you were checking me out? It’s okay to admit the latter. It happens.”

It wasn’t at all what she had been expecting or preparing against and her jaw dropped in outraged surprise. “What? No!” A blush crept up her neck when Stacie started laughing and she wondered if there was a hole deep enough for her to crawl into. Maybe it would be better if she just…left.

“Relax Aubrey, I was just messing with you.” Aubrey could feel her nostrils flaring and she turned to look for Jesse, hoping that he’d just bring the drinks so she could quietly get drunk on all of them. She let her gaze drop to the bar again and gave a blind nod. Stacie reached out her hand and rested it on Aubrey’s wrist right over Chloe’s name. It was tentative but the warmth of the gesture was clear to read. It was oddly calming despite the black hole in her heart. “But seriously. How’d you know my drink? Have we met before or…?”

Aubrey cleared her throat, the blush rising higher. She was only too glad when Jesse chose right then to bring over their drinks. They hadn’t exactly met before, not really. And really it wasn’t worth mentioning and really it had nothing to do with knowing Stacie’s drink. “I saw your drinks on the table. I recognized it because I happen like Amaretto and I’m observant.” It might have come out a little more standoffish than she had intended but she didn’t know how to read Stacie. She still felt fragile and if she thought too hard on it she knew she would crumble apart until there was nothing left of her. For her part Stacie simply nodded and pulled her hand back and reached for her drink completely unaffected by Aubrey’s tone.

“Aubs, New Girl. Chloe already started your tab so enjoy and holler if you need me.” Aubrey gave him a fleeting smile and dropped a couple of bills into the tip jar intentionally ignoring his embarrassing call me gesture to Stacie. The taller woman reached out for a drink and raised it in a brief salute that Aubrey met with one of the bottles of stout. Stacie’s brow raised again but her lips curved into a smile and Aubrey couldn’t help the way her eyes dropped to them for a moment. She quickly tipped the bottle to her lips and turned her back to the bar so she could lean against it instead. It made it somehow easier to breathe when she didn’t have to look at Stacie.

The crush of bodies had seemed to thin out as people settled with their teams or found places out of the way to listen and judge. It would have been a relief if it hadn’t afforded her a clear view of Chloe. Aubrey let her gaze linger on her mate. In the back of her mind she wondered how much longer it would be now. Would it be fast and shocking like everything up to this point had already been? Almost as if she could hear Aubrey’s thoughts, Chloe turned and caught her eye. Even from here Aubrey could see those bright blue eyes darken and dim in pain.

No. It wouldn’t be fast at all. It would be a slow and torturous evisceration. Chloe would fight it tooth and nail for her. And she would be torn between her loyalty and love for Aubrey and…her destiny with someone else. If she were a better woman she might do the right thing and set Chloe free but she wasn’t. She was selfish and she knew it but Chloe was all she had ever known. All she had ever wanted to know. Stacie turned on her stool to face the stage and tables like Aubrey. Her long body stretched lazily and for some reason the distraction of long toned legs embarrassed and irritated her. Aubrey took a long pull of her beer when her gaze drifted back to Chloe who was smiling.

Chloe was a beautiful woman but when she smiled the light inside her shined a little bit brighter, filling her eyes with her whole joyful heart. It was as breathtaking and radiant as a spring sunrise. Her heart throbbed painfully in her chest and she had to take several deep breaths through her nose to calm the rising anxiety that churned up her stomach in a choppy storm of unease.

“Okay but seriously. I do know you right?” Aubrey jerked her attention away from Chloe, turning to blink at Stacie. “I don’t forget a face. Names sometimes. Numbers definitely. But never a face. I know I know you from somewhere.”

It broke the swirl of hurt inside her allowing Aubrey to take a normal breath. She was grateful in a way she didn’t know how to express. Her bottom lip rolled in and she chewed it meditatively for a moment. “You don’t know me. I mean. We’ve never met. Formally.” Heat crawled up her face again and Aubrey sucked down almost half a beer. “You probably just remember my twin brother. Aaron. You crashed our birthday celebration.”

The sound of Stacie’s laugh made Aubrey’s own lips curl in amusement. “Aaron…from the Rilo Kiley concert at the Greek? Oh my God! No fucking way. Wow.” Aubrey shrugged with a breathy chuckle and found herself slowly turning to face Stacie. “Okay well I definitely owe you and apology because I remember that night well. But uh I guess uh not well enough if I didn’t remember you. I’m a douche. Sorry about it.” Stacie shook her head with another low laugh. “How is he? Aaron. I’ve been meaning to call him…” She trailed off uncomfortably and it was clear she felt awkward. Guilty even.

“He’s fine, just deployed to a station in Germany for the next four years. He loves it there but I don’t blame him. He just met his soul mate so he’s in love with everything right now.” Aubrey found it interesting when Stacie let out a sigh of relief. “I bet he’ll laugh when I text him that I ran into you.” Maybe. Probably definitely. The truth was Aaron only vaguely remembered that night and he hadn’t at all remembered Stacie’s name. He did however remember certain attributes and Aubrey couldn’t help where her eyes went she thought of it but darted them away quickly. “We should get back.”

If Stacie had noticed she didn’t say anything and Aubrey didn’t dare look her in the eye. She merely grabbed two drinks and led the way back. She was both dreading her destination and desperately trying to escape her previous location as if being away from the bar would somehow make things less confusing or awkward. Three steps from the table she closed her eyes on focused hard on managing her smile into something polite and perfect. It settled on her like a cloak and she wore it regally. Aubrey could feel Stacie absorbing every little detail with intrigue as if she were trying to figure something out about Aubrey. She set her drinks on the table and settled in next to her mate idly scratching her wrist just under Chloe’s name.

Before she was fully seated Chloe reached out and covered Aubrey’s forearm with a warm, caressing hand. Fingers trailed over her mark on Aubrey’s skin in a familiar gesture and a gentle reminder that she was still there. It stole the air from her lungs for a brief moment.  _Stay the course, Posen._  Aubrey settled and offered Chloe a more reassuring smile than she felt. She just needed to make it through the night, a sigh escaped her but her smile didn’t falter. She could soldier on. For Chloe, she  _would_  soldier on. Chloe’s hand flexed in a gentle squeeze and the pressure in her chest eased some helping her cheery tone stay even. “What’d we miss?”


	7. Chapter 7 - Chloe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there is a link dropped into the fic to another fic. An amazing fic. One of my favorites actually. So…wink wink nod nod to @chloes-yellow-cup for Third Time’s the Charm.

There was a moment of awkward silence as they watched Stacie weave her way through the crowd, Beca trying desperately to seem like she hadn’t just found herself in the most awkward situation of her life. Chloe was pretty sure she was currently formulating an escape plan and that was the only thing that kept her in her seat instead of following after Aubrey. She was certain Aubrey was going to be okay. That  _they_  were going to be okay. But it didn’t stop her heart from seizing painfully at the look in Aubrey’s eyes when Beca introduced herself.

It was only a split second, just a quick flicker of emotion, but it was enough for Chloe to see Aubrey’s world crumble beneath her feet. It tore at Chloe’s own heart to see that much despair in her mate’s eyes and she just wanted to run to her and hold her. She wanted to reassure Aubrey that she wasn’t going anywhere without her, to remind her that they were a package deal, but one look at Beca’s fidgeting was enough to tell her that if Chloe left to find Aubrey, Beca would disappear in the blink of an eye. Aubrey would be okay, she just needed time to adjust.

Chloe gave her head a little shake with a bite of her lip to try and focus herself on the woman in front of her. Her smile was a still a little sad at the edges and she could tell Beca saw right through her. “Did you wanna go….? To check up on her or whatever. You seem very uh attached.” It was sweet and Chloe’s smile softened a little as she reached across the table to lay a hand on Beca’s.

“That’s very sweet, thank you, but I think she’s okay. Sometimes she just needs a second to herself.” Chloe’s half smile wilted further when she caught sight of Aubrey leaning into the curl of Stacie’s arms around her. And it wasn’t that she was jealous of it exactly, but she longed to soothe Aubrey and for a moment didn’t know what to do with herself. “Sorry. I feel like I’m being rude, I think worrying about Aubrey has been all I’ve known for so long that even when I don’t have to, I still kinda do.”

It was still uncomfortable but Beca took a cleansing breath and seemed to resolve herself to actually interacting. Chloe was pleasantly surprised. She thought it would be harder to get Beca to engage given the less than stellar introductions. “So does she usually need worrying about?” Beca made a vague gesture with her chin toward the bar and Chloe’s gaze drifted there immediately. Her eyes found Aubrey at the bar already watching her. The hurt so raw and clear in her mate’s eyes wrecked her for a long second. They stayed locked in each other’s heartbreak before Aubrey finally broke and looked away.

“No actually. Well. Yes and no. Bree is the most confident, competent, driven person I’ve ever known. She is so good at taking care of the house, and work, and everything else that comes with our life together.” Chloe’s smile widened as her heart swelled with the love she had for Aubrey. “And all of the strays that seem to always find their way home with me…she’s always been that way. But she always forgets to take care of herself and so…” Her shoulder came up in a half shrug and Chloe fiddled with the cocktail straw in a glass that was mournfully empty save for the rapidly melting ice.

“So you worry. I get that. I mean…I don’t get it get it, I don’t have that kind of relationship with people. But I get that you would worry about someone that’s always worrying about others.” Chloe felt something tug at her heart as Beca reached awkwardly behind her back to scratch at it. “So how long have you been together?”

Chloe gave a soft chuckle and sighed dreamily. “Since we were eight. Well. That’s when I knew for a fact she was my forever girl. It took her a little longer to figure it out.”

Beca’s eyes widened comically and she gaped for a minute. “Jesus. Eight. I think only thing I knew for a fact at age eight was that I didn’t like pickles.” Chloe was used to those types of reactions. Granted it was pretty rare to know that early that you were meant to be with someone for the rest of your life but it was even more rare to have three marks at once so she figured it just wasn’t that weird in the grand scheme of things. “How uh, how does something like that even happen?”

“I used to get picked on a lot when I was younger. Because of my hair, or clothes, or they sky was blue…” She rolled her eyes dismissively but at the time every little tease and taunt scarred her fragile innocent heart. She had always liked people and until she been away from the comforting circle of home and family she hadn’t realized that anyone would ever dislike her. Especially for no reason at all. It had been a crushing learning curve and she hadn’t adjusted well, spending most of her recess and lunch time crying in a stall of the girl’s bathroom. “One particularly vicious bully threw a rock at me and said some pretty inventive things for a third grader. I just remember the shock of it, seeing blood drip down my head, knowing someone intentionally threw something to hurt me. I probably would have stood there and let him chuck another.”

“That little shit.” Chloe laughed at the quietly indignant look on Beca’s face and rolled her eyes at the memory of her childhood bully.

“Yeah well Aubrey fixed his wagon for sure. If she had been a cat she would have been spitting and yowling with her back all up. She came out of nowhere and just… _whaled_  on him. This tiny blonde tornado came to my rescue and I just knew, even if she didn’t yet, I knew I was going to be with her forever. No one was really surprised when my name showed up on her wrist.”

There was a flicker of deep longing in Beca’s eyes then, so fast and so quickly hidden that she wasn’t entirely sure it had been there at all. “Well that all sounds like a fairy tale. You sure you’re not a Disney princess?”

Chloe let out a breathy chuckle and shrugged. “I don’t know. I think I’d make a pretty rocking [Ariel](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Farchiveofourown.org%2Fworks%2F15450132&t=NTYzZmVhYjZiNjg1Nzc3ZGE0NWM4YzU1ZjBhOGUyMDE4NDdiYzZmNixiNzBPbnJJRw%3D%3D&b=t%3A6-HoTGUX4PM41XyjJLPzmw&p=https%3A%2F%2Ftiny-maus-boots.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F181991796130%2Fsoulmates-au-pt-7&m=1). Our friend Amy taught me how to mermaid dance so…” In the back of her mind she knew that would make no sense and have no context for Beca but the other woman gave an amused grin and raised eyebrow as if picturing all that would imply. “It’s a long story, oh that’s her over there by the stage. I didn’t think she’d be here with her shooting schedule.” It was mostly an embarrassed ramble and she was glad when Aubrey seemed to appear from thin air with drinks in hand. Chloe felt a weight lift off her shoulders and she reached out to curl a hand around Aubrey’s wrist just needing that warm connection between them.

The dull hum of anxiety finally quieted when Aubrey settled in at her side and slid a hand over to rest warmly on Chloe’s thigh. Aubrey’s thumb stroking soothingly through her jeans was warmer than the fuzziest sweater and most comfy sweater she owned and she leaned into it.

“What’d we miss?”  

“Chloe was just telling me all about your MMA days.” Aubrey blinked and then eased into a quiet laugh as she slid Chloe her lurid blue drink. “Thanks, what do I owe you the…” There was a pause as Beca read the label on her beer bottle once then twice. “Sexual Chocolate? Yikes. Okay then.”

“I promise you’ll like it.” The teasing lilt to Aubrey’s voice made Chloe crinkle her nose in a grin. Playful Aubrey was the best and she could tell she was trying her hardest to be social and okay. To be there for Chloe like she always was. Chloe nudged Aubrey’s shoulder with her own when Beca sputtered in flustered embarrassment just as she had raised the bottle to her lips for a sip. “Ohmygod Beca, I’m sorry.” Aubrey half reached over the table when one of Beca’s sputters caught in her throat and she choked on the beer, spraying it partially on the table.

“No. It’s good. M’good, fine. Just. Wrong pipe.” Stacie’s eyes narrowed in just barely contained amusement at Beca’s rasping croak and Chloe had the feeling she was dying to tease the smaller woman. Mortified and just a hint uncomfortable, Aubrey hurriedly wiped at the table, trying to set everything back just right on the table.

“So did’ja, B?”

All three of them turned to look at Stacie who was practically bouncing in her seat. Beca blinked a few times and raised her brow. “Did I what?”

“Did’ja like it?” Somehow the simple questions seemed so much more loaded when Stacie said it. Beca’s face turned bright red and she elbowed Stacie in the ribs. It broke the tension and even Aubrey settled back down at the laughter that bubbled up between them all. It was going to be fine, it would all be fine. Nothing had to be decided right this second, they could just maybe enjoy the night and see what came of things. Chloe brought the drink to her lips and sipped from the straw.  _Something_  told her there was no rush at all, that this would all unfold exactly as it was meant to. Chloe believed in that little  _something_  with her whole heart the same way she had so many years ago.

In some way, Beca was going to be hers. Hers and Aubrey’s. And they would be Beca’s. She was positive of it. Chloe leaned further into Aubrey, their shoulder’s touching as the four of them picked up the threads of conversation and teasing banter easily. A warm blanket of calm enveloped her when Aubrey leaned into her too. Something settled in her soul and she let her fingers trail over the mark she knew was on her chest trusting destiny to bring them together if not tonight, then one day. And one day was good enough for her.


	8. Chapter 8 - Aubrey and Chloe

**Aubrey**

The very first thing she noticed was the faint sound of nails scratching on tile and a confused if annoyed warbling growl. Then the smell hit her. Oh God. It was bad. Really really bad. Aubrey gave a tiny cough, her nose crinkled and she looked over her shoulder at Chloe still blissfully asleep with one arm thrown over Aubrey’s middle keeping them impossibly close. Chloe’s warm body was stretched along her back, the warmth of her breath warmed Bree’s shoulder where the redhead’s nose was nuzzled in. Of course her mate would be adorably unaware of the extremely pungent odor drifting in from somewhere outside their bedroom. Aubrey carefully extracted herself from Chloe’s sleeping death grip and padded over to the dresser to quickly pull on some sweats before the chill seeped into her sleep warm body.

She shut the drawer and for a moment the scratching sound stopped and she wondered what exactly Bella was up to. Aubrey glanced one last time at Chloe and sighed. The sun kissed over one bare calve poking out from the tangle of sheets and it stole Aubrey’s breath from her lungs. Her eyes trailed up Chloe’s body, drinking in the smooth expanse of skin and the soft definition of muscles in her mate’s back and arms. A faint smile curved her lips even in sleep and Aubrey knew there was absolutely no reason she should wake her, it was just one small fox, how bad could it be? The blonde leaned down and trailed feather light kisses over Chloe’s brow then prepared herself to face the origin of the smell. The second she stepped through the closet into the bathroom Aubrey realized exactly how bad it could be. The stench was choking and she had to cover her nose with her sleeve covered hand. “Jesus…that…” Aubrey had to stop speaking because she felt like she could taste the smell on the back of her tongue and the idea alone almost made for an explosive incident.

Something rustled under the large now half chewed wicker laundry basket and she side stepped it to open up the window. “Bella!” There was silence as the basket shifted then something that sounded suspiciously like the fox was mocking her tone. Aubrey tried to lift the basket but it moved and she slid a little on the wet tile of the floor as she chased the basket around, finally lifting it enough to see the fox gnawing at the toe of one of her 500 dollar knee high boots. “Those are Armani!”

Bella warbled defiantly giving a low hissing growl when Aubrey tried to get close to the boot. Oh it reeked. Nope. No way. Aubrey let the basket drop back down in disgust and rolled her eyes toward the heavens. Cleaning up after a barely domesticated wild animal that chewed up her designer boots and talked back was never her plan in life. Her plan in life had been to study hard and earn her degrees, pass her bar exam and find a nice big law firm to claw her way to the top of. And sure she’d thought about her life with a mate, all little girls did. She pictured her perfect wedding to the perfect man, with her perfect dress and the most perfect floral arrangements. She’d thought of their perfect home and their two perfect children, and their perfectly perfect life where everything was clean and austere and nothing was ever broken and her clients were all Hollywood stars with more money than good sense.

Aubrey settled on the edge of the tub with her elbows resting on her knees and stared at the over turned basket. “This wasn’t supposed to be my life you know.” Bella’s black furred snoot poked out of the handle hole as if she were really interested in hearing what Aubrey had to say. “I was supposed to have the career, the family, the respect of my peers. My life was supposed to be perfect…I was  _supposed_  to be a respectable lawyer.” The fox gave her a disbelieving snort and Aubrey laughed. “Okay as respectable as any lawyer in the entertainment industry could be. Which just sounds like a silly goal when I say it out loud.” Bella gave a wise huff of agreement.

She leaned forward and rubbed her face with her hands trying not to sigh too deeply lest she taste the smell of fox pee again. “I guess I just never envisioned my life with Chloe.” A soft chuckle escaped her and she shook her head. “To be fair I don’t think anyone is creative enough to envision a Chloe in their life, with all her quirks and messes. She sheds like a beast you know. There is red hair EVERYWHERE. And the fur from all the animals she brings home. I had to veto all reptiles when she tried to bring a blind worm inside once because ‘it isn’t even technically a snake, Aubrey!’. And she has this thing about keeping all of the disposable slippers she gets when she gets a pedicure. I had to buy a whole basket to store them in because she absolutely refuses to get rid of them. She leaves her dishes in the sink without rinsing them, and she leaves her wet towels on the floor after her showers.” Aubrey looked at the chewed and shredded pee soaked towels scattered on the bathroom floor and shook her head. “Which you already found.”

Bella tucked her nose back into the basket and shuffled around, patches of red fur poking out between the wicker as she readjusted and settled. Aubrey swung her legs over the edge of the tub and pulled up the legs of her sweats. The water was cold where it splashed her feet and she moved quickly to adjust it. Her thoughts wandered and she spoke over her shoulder to the fox still hiding under the laundry basket. “But you know…even with all the strays, and dirty dishes, and stupid broken front door…” Aubrey sighed deeply and smiled softly at the life she led instead of the life she had planned for.  “I wouldn’t trade a second of it for perfection.” The fox warbled again and Aubrey laughed and stuck her feet under the spray of water, reaching for the body wash so she wouldn’t track urine all over the house.

“I know. That’s some kind of sap, but it’s true. Chloe is my home and without her warmth I’d have nothing. Which is why losing her scares me so much. I’m just not sure who I would even be without her. I’d follow her anywhere…even if…” Aubrey finished quickly and turned off the water with a sigh. Even if Chloe’s path took her away from them as a couple and closer to them as something else. She watched the tub drain for a second her mind still rolling over the differences between the life she led and the one she always thought she wanted. Whatever was going to happen in the future it could never take away the home she had with Chloe, or the life she had gotten to lead until now. She turned and stopped before her feet hit the floor. There was no towel to dry her feet with and she didn’t quite trust the cleanliness of the dry tiles that she could see. “Oh shoot.”

“Hey…” Aubrey’s head snapped up and she looked up at Chloe leaning against the doorframe to the bathroom, wrapped in the soft crocheted throw blanket from their bed. There was a panicked moment where she wondered if Chloe had heard but the redhead scrunched her nose and gave a tiny cough. “Oh my God that’s  _awful_.” Bella mimicked Chloe’s tone, her nose poking back out of the hole as she mocked the two women. Aubrey didn’t want to laugh, really she didn’t but it was impossible not to when Bella was being so damned frustratingly cute. Aubrey brought her eyes up to Chloe’s smiling ones and felt her heart settle just a little more. No. She wouldn’t trade a heartbeat of it for anything else in the world.

“Throw me a towel will you?” Chloe nodded and ducked back into the closet for a moment, returning with one of their older beach towels. She tossed it across the bathroom and Aubrey caught the bundle easily. Honestly she didn’t want to put it down on the floor to walk over because she had a feeling the smell would never come out, but she really didn’t want to put her newly washed bare feet down on the tile either. Aubrey was still staring at the floor debating when Chloe padded across the floor and handed her a pair of thin foam sandals. “Wha…”

“I told you they’d come in handy one day….” Aubrey took the neon green slippers and laughed, her free hand reaching out to snag her mate’s as she slid her feet into them. Chloe’s blue eyes softened when Aubrey brought her knuckles up for a soft kiss. “You’re my home too, Bree. You’re always gonna be my home.” Aubrey stiffened for a second realizing that Chloe had in fact heard her conversation with Bella but there was nothing but love on Chloe’s face. “Even if you are kind of an annoying neat freak.”

Aubrey stood and pulled Chloe against her body with a playful jerk and nipped at her lip. “Fair-ish.” She  _was_  an annoying neat freak and felt absolutely no shame in it. She brought their lips together in a lingering kiss that was much softer than her playful tone had hinted at. When she pulled back Aubrey nudged at Chloe’s nose with her own. There was no sense in wondering what things could have been, or even what they could yet be. Right now they had each other and that was enough for Aubrey. “Let’s get this cleaned up, I’ll make breakfast. We can invite the girls.”

It fell between them and Aubrey blinked then pulled her head back, blinking in confusion. Why had that even come out of her mouth? Her mouth opened and closed a few times as she struggled to come up with any kind of logical motive for wanting to spend time with Beca and Stacie. Chloe bit her lip and watched the blonde try to work that out for a few seconds longer before smiling gently. “I’m gonna get dressed.” Chloe kissed Aubrey’s cheek and disappeared leaving Aubrey alone to weigh out her words again. Her lips twisted in a grimace as realization dawned on her.

“Oh God what’s happening right now?? It’s like….I  _like_  them. Ugh. ”Bella gave an answering disgusted huff and Aubrey nodded at the basket in agreement. Damnit. “True dat.”

 

* * *

 

**Chloe**

 

She had woken alone in bed and for a moment had a panicked thought that Aubrey was gone for good. It was silly and she knew it, Aubrey would never do that to her. Not in a million years or for a million dollars. But after the revelation of the evening before and the intensely focused way Aubrey had made love to her after…it had left Chloe with a vague sense of unease at having an empty bed. A feeling that wasn’t exactly comforted by hearing Aubrey’s confessional in the bathroom. Chloe left the slippers at the door to the bathroom and padded back through the closet to dress quickly.

It wasn’t surprising to her that Aubrey suddenly found herself wanting the company of people she only just met and hadn’t wanted to like from the start. At least, it wasn’t surprising to Chloe who suspected that Beca at the very least would be connected to Aubrey as much as she was connected to Chloe. Stacie had been the unknown value in the equation, but in retrospect Chloe thought maybe she should have factored her in. She and Aubrey both had three marks, that couldn’t be a coincidence could it? They just needed time to get to all get to learn more about each other, she was sure of it.

It seemed that like Aubrey and herself, Stacie and Beca were a package deal, always together and always aware of each other even subconsciously. Which was fine. It really was. She liked Stacie’s easy going humor, and she liked the way Stacie and Beca were with each other and truthfully she liked the way that Stacie was with Aubrey. Instinctively knowing where to tread lightly with her mate even while teasing and joking about things as if they had been old friends. Much like she and Beca got along well, each instinctively understanding the other without even knowing each other.

It had all been so…easy. So easy she hadn’t even bothered to bring up the topic of marks. Why ruin a good time with the heaviness of destiny? Arms wrapped around her waist from behind and Chloe leaned back into the warmth of Aubrey’s body, her hands sliding along her mate’s arms with a smile despite the worried tension in them. “It’s gonna be okay Aubrey.”

“Is it?” Chloe turned in Aubrey’s arms and rested a hand over Bree’s heart. It was beating wildly with the rising anxiety reflected in her eyes and Chloe touched their foreheads in a gesture of understanding. “Chloe…you’re my whole heart you know.” Aubrey placed her hand over Chloe’s, their fingers fitting together easily.

Chloe’s gaze drifted down to their hands and her breath caught in her throat for a moment. “Bree…” Aubrey’s eyes flicked down then up quickly in surprise. It was a strange feeling seeing Stacie’s name so delicately etched on Aubrey’s wrist right under her own. One part of her was filled with so much hope and joy at the thought that Aubrey would finally start to understand that they could be more without losing each other, that all they needed was time and patience. And of course the other much smaller more scared part of her wondered if maybe Aubrey had been right all along.

What if this was the end of them as a couple and they just moved on to other relationships? What if Aubrey left her? What if that third mark never revealed Beca’s name but someone else’s… Chloe cleared her throat against the sudden uncertainty of their future. That wasn’t how it was going to be, it  _couldn’t_  be. “Chloe I…didn’t do….”

She smiled sweetly at her mate and leaned in for a soft kiss. “It’s okay Aubrey. It’s going to all be okay.” Okay so it was definitely not as easy Chloe thought it should be but it was a start. “We’ll just take it one day at a time. They might not even have our names yet. I didn’t get yours until high school or something like that. Nothing says anything has to change right now.”

Aubrey nodded but breathed out a nervous chuckle and bit her lip. “You know damn well it showed up Senior Prom.” Chloe shrugged as if she hadn’t recalled but her lips edged into a not quite innocent smile.

“Was it?” She had waited a long time for Aubrey to take notice of her in a more than a best friend way, so long that she almost just gave up on the idea, sure that the blonde would never see her that way no matter that Aubrey’s smudge said otherwise. So she’d dated casually through junior and senior year of high school and Aubrey seemed never to mind or really even take notice of Chloe’s love life. Her focus solely on academics and varsity basketball, Aubrey’s two golden tickets to higher education.

The blonde rolled her eyes in mock irritation, her smile warm as she hugged Chloe tighter. “You’ve had my name over your heart since you and dumb Tommy what’s his face won prom King and Queen.” Chloe smiled at her mate and placed little kisses all over her face.

“You were so cute standing there all dumbstruck. I should totes be offended that you were surprised I won.”

Aubrey sputtered and scoffed. “I wasn’t surprised you won! I  _knew_ you’d win. It was just seeing you standing up there smiling and happy in your dress…it was like I saw you for the first time. I knew you were pretty. I’ve known  _that_  forever. But that was the first time I knew you were truly beautiful. You took my breath away that night and every night since.” She shrugged a shoulder as if was a silly thought as Aubrey always did but it made Chloe’s heart beat double time and swell inside her chest.

“Took ya long enough.” They both chuckled at that and Chloe took the opportunity to bring their lips together for another lingering kiss. “We’re gonna be fine Aubrey. It’s weird now and new but one day we’re gonna blink and it’s all going to make sense. Right?”

The blonde took a deep centering breath and nodded, the worry fading from her clear green eyes. “So what do we do?”

That was the question. Chloe shrugged and stroked a hand down Aubrey’s side. “What we always do I guess. Just take it day by day. Today we invite them over tomorrow…”

“U-Hauls.” Chloe’s laugh tripped out in a short unexpected burst. “Okay for serious Chloe, what if they…like us? What if we like them? Do we really just act normal and let things happen?” She understood what her mate meant. Did they bring up the marks and try to make things work or did they just let it progress more organically? It was a tough call.

The truth was she didn’t know what the best way to handle things and was just as blindly groping for answers as Aubrey was. “I think it’s pretty safe to say they like us babe.” Chloe ran a finger over Stacie’s name on Aubrey’s wrist, tiny blonde hairs rising in its wake. There was definitely something between them all. Something probably none of them were sure how to handle. “Let’s just start with today. Give her a call.”

Aubrey seemed to stop breathing for a second but she sighed out finally and nodded. “Okay. I can do that but you’re on bathroom duty.” She might have pouted a little if Bella hadn’t chosen then to try and come out of the bathroom into the closet. The overturned basket skittered with the fox still under it until it bumped hard into the door frame. The angle was wrong and it stuck awkwardly between the two rooms with Bella underneath pawing at the floor. “You owe me new boots.”

Chloe wasn’t entirely sure who Aubrey was talking to, her or Bella, but she wasn’t sure it mattered. “Not the Armanis….”

“Chloe I love you to the stars and back…”

“And all through the galaxy.” The redhead smiled at her mate, leaning in to her tall, lean body.

“….but she has to go outside.” Chloe just smiled and kissed Aubrey’s cheek. She considered it a minor victory that Aubrey hadn’t ended the sentence at the word ‘go’. It meant she was one step closer to getting Aubrey to just accept that they were caretakers for a fox now. The end. Aubrey gave her silent smile a side eyed look not trusting it for a moment.

“Kay.” It was impossible to argue the simple agreement and Aubrey turned on a heel to search for her phone with an annoyed grumble. “Love you!” Aubrey didn’t respond from wherever she had wandered out to but Chloe didn’t mind one bit. “She loves us.” Bella gave a grunting huff that might as well have been an eye roll. “What are we gonna do with you Bella?” Her only answer was another huff and the sound of expensive Italian leather being chewed viciously. “Okay Smelly, let’s get you cleaned up.”

One thing at a time, one day at a time. Everything would work out the way it was supposed to. As she struggled to un-jam the basket from the door her only really worrying thought was ‘will I ever get the smell out?’. Which was silly. Because the answer was no.


	9. Chapter 9 - Stacie

There was ringing and there shouldn’t be. Why the hell was there ringing at whatever ungodly hour it was? Stacie rolled over in her king sized bed and reached blindly across the mattress for her phone. Long fingers grazed along the edge hard plastic and she grunted when she realized it was just a hair too far away and she’d have to make an effort to reach it. And who the hell changed her ringtone to Ace of Base? That shit was going to get stuck in her brain all day long, she just knew it. Stacie expended more effort than she wanted to, lunging the last few inches to her phone.

Stacie blinked at the phone, squinting her eyes to try and read the display but the letters looked wrong and unfamiliar. With a sigh she half rolled to the nightstand and put on a pair of glasses so she could read the screen. Aubrey A. Posen. Events from the night before flashed through her mind and she smiled because of course Aubrey would be the type of person to put her middle initial and last name in someone else’s phone. The brunette stretched in bed and brought the phone up to her ear as she answered it with an amused smile curling her lips. “I should have figured you’d be an early rising weirdo.”

There was silence for a beat then a deep breath as if Aubrey were trying to work herself up to speak. “I…I’m sorry. I can call back later. I’m so sorry…I don’t know why. Never mind. Thank you for your time.”

There was an abrupt click of silence and Stacie looked at her phone with a mild frown. “Did she just…” Yup. Sure enough Aubrey had hung up on her. A laughed bubbled up and Stacie tapped the dial button on her phone.

It rang three or four times before it was answered and she wasn’t at all surprised to hear Aubrey’s cool and collected tone as if she were answering a work call and not a personal one. “This is Aubrey Posen.”

“Hi Aubrey Posen.” Silence stretched for a moment between them and she rolled on to her belly, feet kicking up in the air behind her. “Did you call me just to hang up on me or did ya want to actually talk? No judgements. Hang up kink is totes valid and I respect the right of every individual to let their freak flag fly.”

There was a strangled sound on the other end and Stacie couldn’t tell if it was surprised outrage or humor. “I don’t have kinks!”

“Yes you do!”

“Chloe! That is totally inapprop…I do not have kinks!” There was some rustling and muffled laughter before Aubrey cleared her throat, her tone even and controlled once more. “Good morning. I apologize for my rudeness, I should have realized it was too early to call on you.”

Stacie’s smile grew as she listened, a laugh bubbling up out of her. “God you’re really like this. That’s awesome.”

“Like…what? Something…bad?” Stacie immediately regretted her choice in words at the sudden wary and vulnerable tone in Aubrey’s voice. Aubrey cleared her throat and rushed on like she hadn’t just let the real her peek out from behind her perfectly focused façade. “If I’ve woken you we can alwa…”

“Adorable.”

“…ys talk ano..wha…pardon?”

Stacie chuckled softly. “You’re really this adorable.” She didn’t even know why that had spilled out of her mouth the way it did but she didn’t regret it. After realizing who Aubrey was she had a sneaking suspicion that she’d found her A. And while she absolutely dreaded the idea of finding a soulmate she also kinda maybe couldn’t stop herself from smiling just at the thought of Aubrey. “You know I kinda like it when you get all flustered. I get the feeling it doesn’t happen often.”

“No. No it doesn’t.” Aubrey’s tone had gentled and warmed and Stacie wondered what had triggered the change. There were just so many interesting facets to the blonde and for the first time in her life she wondered what it would be like spending a lifetime discovering all of them. It was startling and comforting all at the same time and she didn’t really understand it. Not fully anyway. “Listen Stacie the reason I called is because I…we…thought you and Beca might like to come over today. For lunch.”

She chewed her lip in thought and rolled onto her back again so she could stare at herself in the large mirror on the ceiling. It wasn’t a feature she’d have thought to use in own decorating but it was up there when she rented the apartment and had actually served her well so she’d kept it. Now she was using it to notice the way her eyes were bright with joy in a way they hadn’t been since before her mother had passed away. “I’ll have to ask Beca if she’s got any plans today but I’m free. And lunch sounds good. Lemme see what B says and I’ll call you back yeah?”

“Sure that would be good. Please give Beca our regards.”

Stacie chuckled at that and nodded. “Sure. Talk to you in a bit.” She hung up and blinked up at her image in the mirror. “Holy shit…I totally have a crush. What the actual fuck.” The thought that she could change it all now if she wanted to crossed her mind. She could stop before it started, just not engage and stay away. She could still hold herself apart and never let anyone get attached to her just like she had been doing. But it felt…wrong now. Hollow.

She let her long legs drop to the side of the bed and finally got up with a massive spine cracking stretch. Stacie padded to the bathroom intending to shower before she called Beca knowing that her neighbor was probably definitely not awake yet. She dropped her underwear on the floor and pulled off her tank top, letting it drop on cool tile of the bathroom floor. It took always took a while for the water to warm up so she turned the shower on and spent a few minutes thinking about what she’d wear to lunch and why she wasn’t more bothered about the prospect of spending more time with Beca and the girls.

Her mind was still swirling when she turned and purely out of habit glanced at herself in the in the full length mirror on the wall before stepping under the spray of the shower. It took her a good full three minutes of lathering her hair before she realized what she had seen. The loofah fell from her nerveless fingers and she whirled to look at the marks on her ribs. The angle made it hard to see clearly and with growl of frustration she stepped out of the shower streaming with water. Stacie brushed an impatient hand over the steamed mirror to clear it.

“No…nonononono.” Stacie’s fingers traced over the mark that had overnight it seemed resolved itself finally into Aubrey’s name. Goosebumps rose in the wake of her touch but she wasn’t shocked. She knew that would show up sooner or later and had guessed it would be sooner. No that hadn’t phased her at all really. It was the name scrawled with a back slant to the letters that only left-handed people had. Beca.

She was just tentatively getting used to the idea of Aubrey being in her future but now she had Beca to consider and twice as much of herself to lose if…when…something happened. Stacie only just remembered to grab her towel and didn’t think to rinse the shampoo out of her hair or even to turn off the water. Somehow seeing Beca’s name stung like a betrayal and she knew it was because she had gotten too close, too attached to the shorter woman. She had thought it was safe, Beca didn’t have marks so this shouldn’t have been possible. Stacie took the stairs down two at a time and sprinted to Beca’s door pounding feverishly. When no one answered she pounded harder almost kicking at the door in desperate need, one hand barely keeping her towel up.

“Alright alright Jesus! Stop banging on my goddamn door like the fucking poli…” Beca swung her door open with an aggravated scowl and blinked at Stacie dripping all over the un-welcome mat in front of her door. “Stacie? What the fu…”

Stacie pulled her towel to the side and glared. “No! You what the fuck! What the fuck Beca? What. The. Fuck??”


	10. Chapter 10 - Beca

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HC 3 is particularly important to Stacie's reaction to her marks.
> 
> [HC1](https://fandom-heaux.tumblr.com/post/177774479220/soulmates-au)   
>  [HC2](https://fandom-heaux.tumblr.com/post/177842775820/soulmates-au-pt-2)   
>  [HC3](https://fandom-heaux.tumblr.com/post/179951426585/soulmates-au-pt-3)   
>  [HC4](https://fandom-heaux.tumblr.com/post/184087732035/soulmates-au-pt-4)

It felt like she had just gotten to sleep when the banging started. She thought at first if she ignored it that whoever the fuck it was would just go away. She’d gone to bed just as the sky was turning gray with the first rays of sun. They hadn’t stayed out that late but once she’d gotten home she’d found herself drawn to her work station. A melody she was toying with finally resolving itself into something real and tangible to work with. Something that had reminded her of the night she’d just had and the people she’d spent it with. It had burned in her brain until she was finally done with it and sometime during the third or fourth listen through she had passed out dead asleep at her table in the blissful slumber of the truly exhausted.

But now there was incessant banging and it was just too much to ignore. Beca rolled to her side thinking she was in bed and realized all too late that she was in her chair when the floor came up hard and fast to her face. “Son of a bitch.” Ow. Carefully she stood and blinked blearily at her phone to check the time as she shuffled to the door. It was just after 9 but she didn’t know anyone that would be trying to break her door in that early. She was already flinging the door open in just as much wild determination as whoever the hell was on the other side. “Alright, alright Jesus! Stop banging on my goddamn door like the fucking poli…” It took her a minute to process the image of Stacie dripping wet in only a towel on her doorstep. “Stacie, what the fu…”

“No!  **You**  what the fuck! What the fuck Beca? What. The. Fuck??” Before Beca had time to process anything that was happening Stacie pulled open her towel to expose her smudge marks. And most of everything else. “How could you do this to me?”

Beca’s eyes started to drift before she realized what she was doing and she brought her hand up quickly to cover them since Stacie didn’t seem to mind that she was mostly naked. “Dude! No! Why?” What was even happening right now? Stacie’s fingers wrapped around her wrist and struggled to pull her hand away from her face. There was a bit of a tussle and Beca was 95 percent sure boob touched her arm several times in the process. The door across the hall from hers opened abruptly and they both froze when her neighbor Luke cleared his throat.

“Ladies. I’m not exactly sure what’s going on here but I know I’m into it.”

Something rose in her chest in a hot flash and she yanked Stacie into the apartment, quickly shoving the taller woman behind her own body. “Hey! Keep it in your pants creepster!” He gave her a raised brow and she nodded feeling a hell of a lot tougher than she was. “That’s right. I’m talking to you. Keep it moving Bucko.”

Luke gave her a mild snort. “Yeah alright whatever. Tell your friend to call me when she wants it proper.”

Beca’s face crinkled in disgust at that. “Gross.” She brought her hand up to point to her eyes then his letting him know she was watching him then slammed the door shut. Her furious protective streak momentarily giving her amnesia so that she wasn’t at all prepared for Stacie to be standing stark naked behind her, hands on her hips and seething with fury. “Uhhhhh….”

“Beca!”

“Stacie!” She felt her eyes start to drift again and jerked them up to meet unflinching green eyes. “Did you just run down here mid shower?” Because that was of course the relevant information at the moment. Stacie’s eyes narrowed and Beca hurriedly squeaked out a plea for mercy. “Could you maybe with clothes or something?”

“NO!” It seemed the longer Stacie stood there waiting for Beca to look at her the angrier she got. She’d never actually seen her friend get mad before but if it was like this she didn’t much care for it. Nor did she care for being the target of Stacie’s anger.

Okay okay it was time to bite the bullet. Beca took a deep calming breath and opened her eyes to look at where Stacie was pointing. And okay her gaze may have taken a really quick detour before it rested on the smudge along the taller woman’s ribs.  _Beca_. Oh. OH. OH FUCK.

Beca raised her hand and pointed at the offending mark. “What the fuck is that?? What did you do that for!?!” This couldn’t be possibly happening. At all. It wasn’t real, it couldn’t be. She’d just fallen asleep and this was some crazy fucked up dream she was having because she was horny and she thought Stacie was hot. That’s all it was.

“I didn’t do it! You did!” They stared at each other each breathing heavily before Stacie’s gaze broke, her lip quivering with the effort to hold back whatever was threatening to spill over and Beca felt a pang of hurt in her chest that she hadn’t expected. Stacie shook her head and wrapped her towel around herself tightly, her voice strained with the raw emotion. “I know I fuck around a lot but you were my first actual friend.”

“You um, you’re making that sound like we’re not friends now.” When Stacie didn’t say anything in denial Beca bit her lip and nodded. “Yeah that’s about the way it always is. Can’t believe this one time I thought…no, you know what? Doesn’t even matter.” Beca shook her head still not sure how any of this was even happening or why. She only knew that she had gotten used to being close to someone, caring about them and it hurt like a bitch that she had to give it up again. “For what it’s worth Stace, I didn’t know and I’m really fucking sorry.”

So sorry she didn’t even have words for it. Beca rubbed her forehead against the headache thundering behind her eyes. She backed up a few steps until she felt the couch against her legs and let them give out so she could sink into the sofa. Beca pulled her legs up and rested her chin on her knees waiting for Stacie to yell or scream or worse…leave.

There was a moment of hesitation before Stacie moved to stand directly in front of Beca. She could tell Stacie was torn between her hurt and anger and the desire to say something else but she wasn’t sure what it was until Stacie settled on the coffee table in front of her, for once taking great care in not flashing Beca more skin than was already on display. “I just.” The tall brunette let her shoulders slump and she shook her head. “I just got used to the idea that maybe it would be okay. Having someone. Even if I lost them, maybe it would be okay. Because I had you and you’re not supposed to be my mate. I’m not… I’m not supposed to lose you too Beca. And now…now there’s this and there is nothing I can do about it.”

It hurt in a way it shouldn’t have and tears stung at the back of her eyelids. “I swear to God, I didn’t know Stacie.” If she knew it could happen she wouldn’t have spent any time at all with Stacie. She would have just kept doing what she was doing before which had worked out fine for her. “If you don’t want to talk to me again I would completely understand. I don’t know what else to say except maybe it’s a different Beca? Maybe it’s not me at all.”

Even saying it felt wrong and she could tell by the way Stacie’s eyes went from green to a stormy gray that it didn’t sit right with her either. “I don’t know any other Becas and it’s logical to assume it’s you because you met Chloe, who is married to Aubrey, who is also destined to be my….mate. There’s definitely a connection.”

Beca looked up at Stacie when she caught the soft wonder-filled pause before she said the word mate. She smiled at the look on Stacie’s face, remembering the way her friend had been so careful with Aubrey. Or the way she had made them all feel at ease with one another, comfortable and relaxed like they had all known each other for years. It had hit her sometime after their third round of karaoke that Stacie made her feel happier than she had in a really long time and she wished that she could know what it would be like to belong to each other.

But she had also wondered that about Chloe. Because it was supposed to be safe. Because she was Beca and she didn’t have marks or a future of together forever. It shouldn’t be possible but here it was, now she was somehow linked to Stacie for the rest of her life and Jesus she wanted it so bad it hurt to think about. She had  _wanted_  to mean something to someone for her entire life and never thought it was something she could have. “Should I keep apologizing?”

“No.” Stacie sighed like a DMV worker on a Friday afternoon and flopped her hands uselessly in her lap. “I know your dumb ass didn’t mean to do…” She shook her head and closed her mouth, taking a second to think things through before she spoke again. “Look. All of this is weird and fucked up. I have three marks you have none, and one of my marks belongs to someone who already has a mate. And you’re clearly stupid in love with Chloe.”

Beca cleared her throat and shook her head. “M’not stupid in love with Chloe. I don’t even know her.” Lie. She knew Chloe, knew her soul, and for fucks sake could she get any cheesier?

Stacie leveled a quietly disappointed look at her and she sighed. “Really Becs? Look me in the eyes and tell me you don’t feel something for her?”

She couldn’t do it. Beca dropped her gaze and went back to resting her chin on her knees. “I think it’s pretty clear I have stupid feelings for people, don’t you?” Stacie gave a humorless chuckle and nodded. “So now what?”

“Now…now I guess I go upstairs finish my shower with cold water.” Beca raised both brows at that and Stacie shrugged. “Eh, I may have forgotten to turn off the water in my haste to kick your tiny ass into next Tuesday.”

“Sorry.” She didn’t even know why she felt compelled to apologize again but she did.

“No…I’m sorry. I knew you didn’t do anything…I just…it hurt yeah?”

Beca sat up straighter and tried to figure out how to say things she didn’t even know she understood fully? “Stacie…I know you don’t want to lose yourself or whatever. For what it’s worth? I wouldn’t want you to be any other way and if this is it…if this is real and not some fucked up cosmic joke…I won’t let anyone change you.”

Stacie looked like she wanted to say something else but she didn’t she simply gave a slow nod and reached out to squeeze Beca’s knee. Though to be fair Beca didn’t know if Stacie was comforting her or looking for comfort by the gesture. “Thanks Becs. I better go get ready. So should you by the way.”

“Uh…why?”

The leggy brunette stood and adjusted her towel again with a slight shrug as she headed for the door. “Aubrey and Chloe invited us over for lunch and we’re going.” She gave Beca a quick look as if she expected the smaller woman to argue but Beca just gave a slow nod.

“Sure, okay. But I mean…is that it? We just pretend like nothing is different?” Because it WAS different now. At least for Beca herself.

Stacie paused at the door and sighed. “I don’t know Beca. But I think ignoring it isn’t going to make it go away and if I’m right somehow Chloe and Aubrey are a part of this so talking to them is our best bet. Besides. Do you know anyone else we could talk to about this?”

That would be a big fat no. Until Stacie she didn’t even really have any friends. “Point taken. Meet back here in an hour?” Stacie gave her a half wave of agreement before she left the apartment. Beca watched her leave before she picked up her cell phone and dialed quickly. It rang several times before voicemail picked up and she sighed in frustration but put on an almost cheery tone. “Hi Mom, right I forgot you’re somewhere near Ecuador which is totally cool! If slightly…inconvenient. Kidding. Kidding. Okay well guess I called for no reason really. Just saying hi. L.A. is great, work is good. Yes the apartment building is still standing. So I guess that warning about a good strong gust of wind was wrong. Haha. Um are you sure I don’t have any marks? I mean. I’m asking for a friend? Okay whatever have a good time, be safe, and I love you. Tell dad I miss him. Don’t go to snake island!” She hung up before the message could cut her off and flopped back onto the sofa.

“Why do you like fucking with me Universe?” She was not in the least bit surprised when she received no answer.


	11. Chapter 11 - Stacie

The ride to Chloe’s and Aubrey’s place had been quiet and tense and she knew it was her own fault. It was just hard to look at Beca right then because it fucking hurt. But they were there now, parked across the street from a neatly manicured lawn in front of a duplex condo and something had to be said. Although the house was bright and warm a cold weight settled on her and she half glanced at Beca who was staring out the window watching some kids playing tag. It was now or never and if it were up to Beca it would probably be never. “Beca….”

“Look Stacie. Let’s just…not. Okay?” Beca still wasn’t looking at her but Stacie could read the anxiety in her friend easily. It was little things really, like the way Beca’s fingers twitched in a near compulsive tick. Something Stacie had once thought was amusing but now it tugged at her heart in a way she didn’t quite understand but found herself wanting to.

“I’m sorry Beca.” The other woman turned her head a fraction of an inch in reflex then jerked it back toward the window. Stacie sighed and stared out of the windshield of the car, hands resting lightly on the steering wheel. “Your name took me by surprise. I shouldn’t have been accusatory or whatever.”

“Yeah well my name is taking me by surprise too.” There was a waver in Beca’s voice but she cleared her throat and Stacie wondered just how close to crying she really was. “It’s not like I planned for that to happen or even knew it could. God knows it never has before…”

Stacie turned to look at Beca when she trailed off quietly. No one had to say it out loud but they both knew Beca had tried at least once to love and be loved. It was obvious in the way the small brunette waved her hand dismissively trying to separate herself from the past. Before she could say anything at all Beca wrenched open the car door and pulled herself out and away from Stacie. The heavy door slammed just hard enough to make Stacie wince and she scrambled out after Beca.

“Okay so we have some serious shit to unpack. Both of us. Maybe…maybe we can unpack it together? Or…” She didn’t even know what she was offering honestly, it was mostly a blind fumble to try and fix what she had broken in her stupidity.

“Shut. Up.” Stacie stopped short at the sting of Beca’s words but Beca wasn’t even glancing her way, all her attention focused up the street.

“Seriously? We’re talking here. Hello?” Beca stared and flapped a beckoning hand at Stacie without breaking her focus. With an irritated sigh she walked around the front of her car to peek around a van obscuring her view from whatever Beca was so damn interested in. For a moment she couldn’t make sense of what she was seeing and then the image resolved itself in her mind. All the air in her lungs rushed out and Stacie felt her jaw drop slightly in surprise. “What the…”

“That’s uh, that’s a fox. On a leash.”

Stacie blinked twice and nodded though she wasn’t sure if she was nodding for the actual fox or Aubrey who was leading it down the street with zero fucks given. The blonde sipped an iced coffee from behind big dark sunglasses as she paused to look both ways before crossing the street without even noticing them both standing there gaping at her like idiots. “Yes, yes it is.”

Aubrey opened the front door of the house and stepped inside with her furry little friend and it wasn’t until the door closed behind them that Beca sputtered out her incredulous amusement. “I know I should be outraged or…completely thrown off guard but that seemed…”

“Oddly normal and unsurprising for Aubrey?” Beca gave a slow nod at Stacie’s words still looking at the space the other woman had occupied seconds earlier. Yeah. Anyone else strutting down the street with a fox on a leash would definitely have raised some eyebrows but it just seemed to fit Aubrey. “I’m just gonna say it. That was hot.”

Beca gave her a mild look but didn’t argue it. Stacie started to reach out to Beca though she wasn’t aware she was doing it or even why but Beca’s nose crinkled and Stacie let her hand drop back to her side. “Maybe we should just go in Stacie.”

Stacie gave a nod of agreement and sighed. Honestly she didn’t want to force Beca to talk, it wouldn’t help either of them and really she wasn’t even sure where to begin to apologize for that morning. “I don’t want to lose you.” It wasn’t at all what she was going to say or at least what she thought she was going to say. But somehow it felt right to just put it out there.

“I mean that’s not how you made it sound this morning. Sounded to me like you’re done being friends. And you know what? That’s cool I’m used to that shit by now. So no need to pretend you’re fine with me right now because we both know you’re not. It’s not like I don’t get it.”

“No. You don’t get it. You don’t get it at all.” Stacie crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the hood of the car. “My mom died. Not recently or anything but it happened and when she died so did a part of my dad. So did a part of me.” This wasn’t something she talked about ever, mostly because she never got close enough to anyone to talk about it. She didn’t keep close friends because she never wanted anything to turn into something bigger or deeper than just fucking around. It was just easier for her that way. But now that she had to talk about it, she realized that she wanted to talk about it but it was hard to pull the words out without choking on the hard lump rising to her throat.

“…I’m sorry Stacie I didn’t know.”

She waved that off and cleared her throat before finally meet Beca’s gaze. “The point is, I maybe stupidly thought it was okay to feel things for you because given your situation I figured you’d never be one of my marks. I thought it meant I would get to keep you in my life ya know? Like when shit inevitably gets bad at least you’d be there…”

“Wait. I know your mom passed away and that’s horrible. I’m so sorry. But that doesn’t mean that every mate is going to leave you. Like why would you even think that? Mates are supposed to be your forever home.”

Forever home. It struck a chord with Stacie and she bit her lip before shrugging and looking away. “I have three marks Beca. You saw them. I’m obviously gonna lose them. I’m gonna lose you Beca and it really sucks because you’re like the only person who hasn’t wanted to hang out just so they could fuck me. You just accept whoever I am and I’ve never had that before. But I don’t get to keep you and I think it’s because you’re supposed to be Chloe’s. And hey maybe this is why you don’t have any marks, maybe you’re…” She didn’t even know what she was trying to say so she made a vague gesture that could have meant anything.

It was a lot. She knew that. But they needed to finally put things out there and at least be right with each other before they walked into Aubrey and Chloe’s place. “Are you saying I’m going to die? Oh my God I’m gonna die. I’m too young. Oh Jesus.” Beca’s cheeks puffed out as she blew out a breath trying to wrap her head around the fact that this could mean her death.

“No! No that’s not. I didn’t mean it like that Beca.” But maybe she kind of did. Maybe she kind of thought that was exactly what would happen. Not logically, but somewhere in the back of her mind she was terrified of being like her dad. Half alive with only half a soul just drifting through his days waiting until he could be with her mom again.  Stacie watched Beca pace back and forth as she struggled with thoughts of her own mortality, fingers on her carotid artery taking her pulse with increasing anxiety and felt like crap for putting that on the smaller woman. “Beca… Beca stop. Take a breath, you’re not dying. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to make it seem like all that.”

Beca stopped her pacing but still held her hand to her neck, her eyes a little too wide as she nodded quickly. “Yeah of course I mean. This chest pain is probably just gas and I’m not totally having a heart attack right now. Oh God are my hands supposed to be tingling? Oh Jesus am I having a stroke? It’s a stroke isn’t it? Oh my God please don’t let my mother look at my browsing history when I die…I’m blind! Oh God I’m going blind!”

Beca wasn’t blind but she was close to passing out and Stacie took the two long steps to Beca’s side and gripped her by the shoulders. Stacie couldn’t calm Beca the way she had calmed Aubrey the night before because Beca was too far gone in her hysteria for rational thought so she did the only thing she could think of to stop the spiral. She cupped Beca’s face and brought her head up for what she had intended to be a soft brush of lips. For a breathless second they stood there frozen by the sudden intimate contact before Beca pulled back warily.

It wasn’t a deep kiss, or even very long but Stacie’s heart was beating double time and that hadn’t happened since middle school when Peter Galecki had kissed her behind the handball court for the first time. Stacie let out a soft breath and reluctantly pulled her hands away from Beca’s face. “Still blind?”

Beca reached up and touched her lip with her fingertips. “What uh. What just happened right now?”

Stacie chewed her lip a moment and shrugged. “I kissed you because you were hyperventilating and I thought you were going to pass out.”

“Oh.” Beca reached behind her back and scratched lightly and Stacie had to clear her throat and look away because she didn’t think that Beca would appreciate her smiling just that second. Beca gave her a single blink before rushing back for a kiss so deep and full of longing that Stacie thought she might drown in the overwhelming feel of it. The weight and momentum of Beca’s body colliding with hers knocked them back step into the back of the van. It rocked hard enough for the alarm to scream out its annoyance but Stacie didn’t dare let Beca go.

It had been a long time in coming but it felt right and somehow natural, despite the fact that a passing car had just yelled ‘get a room’ at them. Stacie sucked Beca’s lower lip with a gentle tug before resting their foreheads together. And as good as it felt letting the shorter woman melt into her chest it scared the ever living crap out of her. Because she could lose it all and then where would she be? Who would she be?

They didn’t say anything, probably because they were both trying to process whatever the hell was happening but there was something different between them now. And whatever it was, the thing between them, it was almost tangible and living and Stacie could feel it drawing them closer even as she leaned in to catch Beca’s lips in another much softer kiss. “Still dying?”

“Only if you stop kissing me.” Beca looked as scared and hopeful as Stacie felt she couldn’t help but kiss Beca again.

“Guess I can’t stop then, since it’s a matter of life and death and all…” The car alarm chirping loudly startled her before the start of another kiss and Stacie jerked forward almost toppling Beca out of her arms. They stood quickly and parted suddenly realizing that they were still standing at the side of the road in plain view of anyone happening to pass by.

Beca cleared her throat and nodded at nothing just to fill the pregnant silence. “Okay keep it in your pants maybe.” It lacked the usual bitter sting and Stacie smirked to herself at the blush creeping up Beca’s neck and face as she fixed her shirt.

“Sorry not sorry.” Stacie held out her hand tentatively, well aware of the fact that Beca didn’t like touching and had squirmed away from her previous attempts to reach out. She raised her green eyes to meet Beca’s and waited patiently.

After a second of hesitation Beca took her hand in a sure grip, lacing their fingers together. Of course she looked surprised and terrified by it the whole time but it was kind of endearing and Stacie gave Beca’s hand a gentle squeeze of assurance. They stared at their linked hands for a second longer before turning to face Aubrey and Chloe’s house. At least they’d face whatever was coming together. And somehow it felt right to let it happen.


	12. Chapter 12 - Chloe

She knew Aubrey would be home soon, the coffee shop wasn’t that far away and Bella wouldn’t be able to walk for long with her back leg still healing. The fox hadn’t stopped following Aubrey’s nervous pacing around the house since that morning.  So Chloe had suggested that Aubrey go take Bella for a walk to calm the frenetic energy that kept her bouncing from room to room perfecting the placement of every single item they owned. It melted Chloe’s heart when Aubrey looked down at the fox and asked her what she thought then laughed when Bella spun in a happy circle totally understanding Bree’s question. It wasn’t as if Aubrey hadn’t helped her care for the many animal’s she’d brought home over the years, she had. And she was always careful and always sensitive to the animal. Mostly always but maybe less so with reptiles. Still, she had never bonded with any of them the way she had bonded with Bella seemingly overnight. Not that she was complaining in the least, Chloe loved watching Aubrey interact with Bella.

Chloe settled on the couch in front of the front bay window and peeked out at the street. There was no sight of Aubrey yet but she did notice a hot red classic Camaro pull up across the street. Muscles cars made her weak in the knees and she peered a little harder to see who was driving. The windows were tinted making it hard to see but the passenger door popped open suddenly and Beca got out. Chloe’s lips pulled into an immediate grin and she found herself leaning so far into the window frame that her nose pressed against the glass. She had only been this interested in someone with Aubrey but there was something about Beca that  _definitely_  attracted her.

It was more than the physical, or even just the sound of her voice, although admittedly she liked that a whole lot too. The driver’s side door opened and Stacie got out in a graceful unfolding of long limbs. It was clear something was going on between the pair across the street. Stacie’s body was tense, her voice rising and Beca seemed…well. She wasn’t sure what Beca seemed at the moment. Clearly her attention was on something Stacie couldn’t see yet. Chloe craned her neck and looked down the street as far as she could, her smile widening when she caught sight of her mate preparing to cross the street toward her.

Aubrey looked first one way then the other, then back. It was a gesture that was mimicked by Bella and it made her laugh. Bella had taken to Aubrey and their home in a way she hadn’t at the shelter and it made her heart swell. Her gaze tracked back to Beca and Stacie and she laughed again as they watched Aubrey walk across the street like she owned it. “That’s my girl.”

Beca and Stacie remained dazed for a few moments after Aubrey walked in and Chloe snickered softly. “Hey babe.”

“Hey….what are you doing?”

Chloe turned and smiled at Aubrey as the blonde bent to help Bella out of her harness. “Watching Beca and Stacie gawking at you crossing the street.”

Aubrey stood up and blinked at her in confusion. “Wait. They saw me and didn’t say hi or anything?”

Chloe chuckled and held out her hand for Bree to take. “I think they were a little taken back by your runway strut.”

Aubrey’s warm fingers laced with hers as she settled onto the couch with Chloe so she could peek out the window too. “My what? I don’t do that. They must have been looking at something else.”

Bella climbed up on the couch too, pushing and wiggling until she was smooshed between them looking out the window. She gave an interested chitter and pressed her nose to the glass. Chloe laughed and shrugged. “Sorry ‘bout it babe. You’re hot stuff…and you literally just walked a wild animal down the street on a leash so…” Chloe gave a mild shrug and brought her hand up to stroke through Bella’s fur. “Can’t blame them for checking you out.”

Aubrey blushed and turned her attention back to the pair across the street. “I thought they said they weren’t together…”

Chloe turned her head just in time to see Beca crash into Stacie, pushing them back against a parked van and setting off the alarm. “Oh. My my. I guess something changed since last night.” She wasn’t disappointed seeing the two women kiss. Disappointed was the furthest thing from her mind actually and she felt heat rise to her cheeks. “That’s one hell of a kiss.”

Aubrey nodded her head in agreement, her gaze going to her wrist to trace over the new name under Chloe’s. It was the first time that her wife hadn’t covered up her marks with a long sleeves or accessories and make up. It made her tentatively hopeful that maybe Aubrey was trying to work through her fear of losing Chloe while she discovered something more with someone new. Or two new someones she should say. The third smudge on Aubrey’s wrist and her own chest hadn’t revealed any names yet but she was more and more sure that the four of them were meant to be together in some way. Seeing Beca and Stacie kiss only cemented that feeling. It just felt right seeing the two together.

The niggling thread of worry that she was wrong was shoved to the back of her mind and Chloe reached over Bella to brush her thumb over Aubrey’s wrist. “It’s going to be fine, Bree. You’ll see.” Nothing bad was going to happen, it couldn’t. Not when all the moving pieces seemed to be lining up so perfectly. It made it easier to push past any cautionary doubts. She gave Aubrey’s wrist another squeeze and stood up to get the door when the girls knocked.

When she opened it Beca and Stacie were still staring in wonder at their own clasped hands. They looked up at each other and grinned then turned as one to look at her. “Hey guys, c’mon in.” It took them a second to figure out that they needed to let out of each other to get through the door but once through their hands linked again as if magnetically drawn together. “Make yourselves at home.” Bella immediately hobbled down from the couch and hid behind it with only the tip of her snout poking out. “And that’s Bella. She’s a little shy.”

“Dude. You guys have a fox.” Beca glanced at the couch then away quickly when Bella snorted in her general direction. “Yep. That’s…totally not weird or anything.”

Chloe nodded at Beca with a smile. “It’s totes weird but we can explain. Can I get anyone a drink?” Three hands went up and she gave a nod. Yeah this definitely required alcohol. “Beca will you help me grab some stuff from the kitchen?”

Beca gave a nod and tossed another wary look over at Bella when the fox inched further out to stare directly at the brunette. “Yeah sure. Foxes don’t eat people right?” Bella half growling in response got Beca to quickly follow Chloe into the kitchen and held out her hands when the redhead started to pull beers from the fridge. “Hey um, thanks for inviting us over. I had a good time with you guys last night and that doesn’t happen too often.”

Chloe looked over the door of the fridge and gave Beca a warm smile. “Well I had a good time too. We both did. I know it started out a little awkwardly but you guys are fun. And easy to talk to.” She shut the door to the refrigerator door and shrugged. “I guess it’s supposed to be easy for us now that we’ve found each other.”

There was a second’s pause before Beca tipped her head to the side and frowned. “What do you mean?”

Oh. Maybe…she was wrong? Maybe they didn’t know what was going on, oh God what if they didn’t have marks with hers and Aubrey’s names. What if she’d been horribly wrong? “Uh….” Chloe chewed her lip trying to come up with anything at all to say. “Maybe we should talk. All of us.” Chloe opened the door again and looked into the fridge and shrugged before pulling out an entire six pack. She had a feeling they might need it.

“You know that’s not really a calming statement right?” Beca was smiling the kind of smile that belied her spike in her nervousness.

“It’s nothing bad!” Chloe reached into a drawer for the bottle cap opener and gestured to the living room with a tip of her head. “I don’t think. I mean. I don’t know. I don’t think it’s bad it’s just there are some new developments and…” Beca’s eyes bugged out of her head more the longer Chloe rambled on.

“That sounds…still alarming.”

Beca’s wary look was adorable and Chloe chuckled. “C’mon.” She walked back into the room and glanced between Stacie completely at home, her long body stretched out in an easy lounge on the couch and Aubrey practically vibrating with anxiety on one of the stuffed chairs. It was quiet and she wondered if they had spoken a single full sentence between them. “OOokay it’s pretty clear we need to talk.”

Chloe placed the six pack on the coffee table and popped the top off of four of them. Handing them out to each woman as they settled themselves awkwardly around the room. She couldn’t help but smile a little at the way Beca slid into place next to Stacie and leaning into the reassuring warmth of the taller woman.

“First things first…let me just start by saying that Aubrey and I are really happy that we met you guys and I really believe we’re going to have something really special.” Stacie and Beca looked at each other then back to Chloe. Okay this wasn’t coming out right. She started again. “I mean. Because you know. Friendship. Stuff.”

Aubrey cleared her throat and reached out to take Chloe’s hand. “What Chloe’s trying to say is that we feel like there is a good vibe between us and we’d really like to get to know you two better. Especially now that…well. Now that certain things have become clearer.” Taking a deep breath she released Chloe’s hand and stretched her arm out to pull back the sleeve of her neatly pressed blouse to expose Chloe and Stacie’s name.

Four sets of eyes drifted to delicate calligraphy etched on Aubrey’s skin. Chloe’s heart stuttered and then sped up at her mate’s courage. Stacie swallowed thickly and let out a deep breath. “You have three marks. And that’s…my name.” Aubrey pulled her arm back quickly a blush rising to her cheeks. Chloe opened her mouth to say something but Stacie stood and wiped her palms on the thighs of her jeans before she lifted her shirt high up on her side to expose the three marks, two of them resolved into names.

Relief rushed through her and Chloe worked two of her buttons open to expose the marks on her chest just over her heart. She had been right, they were meant to be in each other’s lives! The thought nearly had her levitating out of her seat with excitement.

They all waited with baited breath, their focus on Beca who had yet to reveal her marks. The small brunette shifted uncomfortably on the couch and blew out a breath. “Okay so since this is show and tell and I have nothing to show I better…tell.”

Aubrey and Chloe shared a confused look then shrugged unsure exactly what was happening. Stacie reached out to squeeze Beca’s hand with gentle encouragement.

“I don’t have those. Marks. And until this morning I didn’t even know I could you know make one show up. I don’t know how this happened. I don’t know why my name is on Stacie or you Chloe. All I know is that all three of you have multiple marks which is cool for you guys but I don’t have any. And I’m sorry. About my name. Honest to God I didn’t know.”

Chloe’s face fell and she blinked at Beca who just shrugged and stood up to walk out of the living room with a strangled ‘excuse me’ to the only other room she knew. Both she and Aubrey watched as Beca wandered into the kitchen to gather her composure. Okay so that didn’t go exactly as planned and the relief that had filled her moments before had evaporated like mist on a sunny day. It hurt her to see Beca so upset but she didn’t know what to say or do to ease the pain of whatever was happening right then.

Stacie scratched idly at her ear and offered them both a tense smile. “I thought I was the only one.” She made a vague gesture to her side and Chloe watched as Aubrey’s eyes drifted to the spot immediately. It made her smile a little despite the fact that she wanted to talk to Beca and figure out exactly what she meant when she said she didn’t have marks. Everyone had at least one. That was just…how it was. Right?

They sat like that in awkward silence for a few minutes each of them pondering the situation they had found themselves in, both Aubrey and Stacie looking anywhere but at each other. After another minute ticked by Aubrey stood and excused herself to check on Beca. Chloe could sense her mate’s need to get out of the awkward situation and let her go with a soft smile and a nod of encouragement then turned her gaze on Stacie to find the tall woman already watching her.

Chloe bit her lip and offered up a timid smile. “I guess I always knew there would be others out there. If there was me and Aubrey there was bound to be someone else too.” She shrugged lightly and glanced to the kitchen as Aubrey and Beca stepped out of the back door to sit on the porch. “I thought it would be two of you but…maybe I was wrong?”

Stacie nodded and moved to stretch herself out on the floor on her belly between the coffee table and the couch. It was odd but Chloe didn’t mind at all, she just watched as Stacie got comfortable. “It took her a long time to admit to me that she didn’t have marks. She said it was fine and all but I think it bothers her and I maybe didn’t handle things great this morning when I realized her name was on me. This can’t be easy for her.”

She nodded her understanding at that and gestured vaguely to where the girls had gone. “It’s not easy for Aubrey either. She’s been worried that Beca’s name appearing means that what she and I have is coming to an end and…that’s so far from what I want to happen.”

Something in the way Stacie’s eyes tracked to her and held her gaze made her wonder if Stacie had thought the same thing. “So you think what? That we’re all supposed to be…a thing? That’s insane. Right?”

Chloe shrugged and took a moment to think about that. Was it insane? Was it even possible for three or even four people to build a life together, to fall in love? “I don’t know. But this has to mean something. You have Aubrey and Beca written on you, Aubrey has you and I and I have Aubrey and Beca. And we’re all missing one name a piece. It all has to mean something.”

The other woman gave thoughtful hmmm but didn’t say anything further. Chloe didn’t feel any pressure to keep talking like she normally would. It was companionable while they both digested whatever was happening. Bella had inched further out from behind the sofa and was now making tentative little forays to check Stacie out. The fox would circle around the table, sniffing the air, the ground, even the table itself. Chloe smiled when Bella dove in close to sniff Stacie directly then skittered away.

She did it again a few more times, taking the measure of Stacie with each curious little sniff. The brunette on the floor stayed still and quiet, her body relaxed and unconcerned about the potentially dangerous animal investigating her so closely. After a few more minutes Bella cautiously raised a single paw and rested it on Stacie’s back. The fox pulled it back immediately and trotted away with a whining yawn. Chloe didn’t realize she had been holding her breath until Bella had eased close to Stacie again and carefully climbed on her back to lay down with huff that blew a few strands of Stacie’s hair to the side.

“Hey cute stuff.” Bella responded with a chittered half bark before readjusting herself to be more comfortable. Stacie turned her head back to Chloe with a wide smile. Their gazes locked and they smiled at each other feeling something between them. Something comfortable and warm, something real. Chloe brought her hand up and idly scratched at her chest. Okay so there was still one thing they had to figure out, but she felt more confident than ever that they were supposed to be together. All of them. Even Bella approved.


	13. Chapter 13 - Aubrey

Aubrey watched Chloe and Beca walk into the kitchen feeling momentarily lost. She cleared her throat and shifted uncomfortably on the couch when Stacie made herself at home by flopping down right next to her. She smiled at the taller woman and rubbed her wrist against her thigh when it started to tingle. Stacie raised a brow as she watched Aubrey shift nervously, it was almost challenging and the blonde didn’t know how to handle that. People had challenged her before of course, men usually. The type of men that didn’t like how assertive and direct she was, men that used their size advantage to try and intimidate her. Not that she was ever intimidated, Aubrey was confident enough to hold her ground against bullies of all sizes. But this wasn’t like that and Stacie wasn’t at all like anything or anyone she had ever met. It was infuriating and terrifying and Aubrey caught herself second guessing her decision to go through with this whole thing at all.

After a moment she realized that Stacie was going to stay sitting there uncomfortably close, patiently waiting for Aubrey to say something. The problem was she just didn’t know what to say or even how to start so she stood awkwardly and settled into the chair adjacent to the sofa. It wasn’t close but it wasn’t too far either because as insecure as Stacie’s attention made her feel she found herself unable to look away from Stacie’s curious and amused green eyes and the way the brunette bit her full lip. It didn’t go unnoticed by Stacie who only smiled wider making Aubrey blush and look away quickly.

The silence stretched between them and Aubrey was sure she was going to die if one of them didn’t say something soon. She was just about to open her mouth, still not entirely sure what would have come out, when Chloe and Beca came back. Relief rushed through her as mate looked back and forth between them before giving her an understanding smile.

“OOokay it’s pretty clear we need to talk.” She gratefully took the beer Chloe handed her before settling on the arm of the chair Aubrey was sitting in. Just having the warm steadying weight of Chloe’s presence settled her a bit more. “First things first…let me just start by saying that Aubrey and I are really happy that we met you guys and I really believe we’re going to have something really special.” At Beca and Stacie’s nervously exchanged look Chloe tried a quick back pedal. “I mean. Because you know. Friendship. Stuff.”

Aubrey cleared her throat and took Chloe’s hand in hers, glad that she wasn’t the only one that was nervous. “What Chloe’s trying to say is that we feel like there is a good vibe between us and we’d really like to get to know you two better. Especially now that…well. Now that certain things have become clearer.” It wasn’t easy, putting herself out there and exposing her wrist but she knew she had to. If any of them were ever going to happy and complete they needed to stop dancing around it. So she pulled her sleeve back and waited nervously for the reaction that was sure to follow.

“You have three marks. And that’s…my name.” It wasn’t a question obviously but it didn’t sound like a happy statement either. Aubrey flinched and wished she could take back the last three minutes of her life. She pulled her arm back quickly and lowered her sleeve feeling a little humiliated. Stacie rose to her feet and despite the fact that Aubrey didn’t want to see the likely disturbed look on Stacie’s face her eyes still followed the movement of the brunette’s shirt as it lifted high enough to reveal Beca’s name and then her own. It looked strange, seeing her name traced over a body that wasn’t Chloe’s but somehow it felt just as right as every time she’d seen it on her mate. Oh.  _Oh_.

The rightness of it surrounded her like a blanket and when their eyes met something changed. Something she couldn’t even hope to understand let alone explain but she knew deep in her soul that Chloe had been right. They  _were_  supposed to be…more.  _Together_. Every gaze shifted to Chloe as she opened her shirt a little wider to let Beca and Stacie see her marks. They took a collective breath and then focused on Beca who looked like she was trapped in her own personal hell. Something fluttered behind the depths of her dark blue eyes before she shut it down and closed herself off.

Beca let her gaze fall when Chloe and Aubrey exchanged a look, her shoulders going tight with anxiety. “Okay so since this is show and tell and I have nothing to show I better…tell.” Aubrey had spent years developing her reading skills. She could often tell what a person was thinking or feeling despite what they were saying and it had been something that had made her the lawyer she was today. So it was no surprise that she could read deep well pain and loneliness Beca was trying cover with her words. “I don’t have those. Marks. I was unfortunately born abnormal. And until this morning I didn’t even know I could you know make one show up. I don’t know how this happened. I don’t know why my name is on Stacie or you Chloe. All I know is that all three of you have multiple marks which is cool for you guys but I don’t have any. And I’m sorry. About my name. Honest to God I didn’t know.”

Quick steps took Beca out of the room before any of them could question or comment on her admission. Aubrey watched her go barely registering Stacie’s almost whispered words. “I thought I was the only one.” Without even thinking her eyes tracked to Stacie’s side then away quickly. She knew this was the right thing, that they were meant for each other but something still felt unbalanced and she gazed back the way Beca had gone. None of them seemed willing or able to fill the silence and as the seconds ticked by she realized Beca wasn’t going to come back anytime soon.

She gave them both a quick apologetic look and stood to make her way into the kitchen. Beca was standing at the sink, forgotten drink in hand staring out the small window. She didn’t want to crowd the woman so she leaned a hip against the far counter and smiled softly when Beca finally turned to look at her. “Hey, you okay?”

The brunette nodded quickly and seemed to pull herself together. “Yeah. Sorry I walked out. It was rude. I just uh needed a second. It’s been a  _really_  weird morning.”

That was something she could understand. The night before Beca and Stacie weren’t an item and now apparently they were. And that was separate from Beca’s admission of her marks or lack thereof. It was a lot to take in. “I’m sure it didn’t help finding out that you have two different women wearing your name on their skin.”

Beca let out a shaky sigh and nodded. “Understatement.”

Despite themselves they both chuckled and Aubrey opened the cabinet above her head to take out two tumblers and the bottle of Lagavulin Scotch she kept tucked away for moments just like this. She held up the bottle and jerked her head toward the sliding back door to the small screened in patio that led to the backyard. Beca followed her outside and settled on one of the gray patio chairs still looking a little worse for wear. She poured them both a drink and settled into the chair next to Beca’s, placing the bottle in the center of the small table nestled just so between them. “It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it right now Beca. I’m sure you’re expecting a lot of questions but no one is going to push you. Promise.”

The brunette looked at her and gave a nod before sipping her whiskey. “I appreciate that but I don’t know what good it will do to avoid it. I can’t like change what’s happening. I mean. I guess it’s nice to know that I can actually love someone. Not having any marks I guess I just wasn’t really sure that I could, that it was possible I guess.” She gave a soft unhappy chuckle and shook her head. “Of course now I realize it just means that I’m an unlovable fuck.”

It tore at her heart hearing something so painful come out of Beca’s mouth no matter how cavalier she was trying to sound. “I don’t know about that Beca.” She didn’t reach out to the other woman but she didn’t pretend she wasn’t affected by the thought of her friend’s situation.

“You know you’re being remarkably cool for a woman who just found another person’s soulmark on her wife.” Aubrey could read the nervousness in the way Beca’s fingers twitched as if she needed to do something to work out the tension she was trying so hard to keep composed.

Bree took a deep breath and nodded a few times. “Well we’ve known this day would come for a while but truthfully…I wasn’t prepared for it. When I saw your name…” She needed a second to figure out what she wanted to say and what she really meant to convey. “I didn’t handle it as well as I could have. I’m not ready to give up Chloe and the thought that my time with her might be over was a real sucker punch.”

“I’m so sorry.” It was sincere even if Beca wouldn’t meet her eye choosing instead to take another drink from her glass. “I swear I don’t want to steal your girl. I mean. I don’t even fucking know what I mean.”

“I don’t think you’re trying to steal anyone Bec.” Her tone gentled and this time Aubrey did reach over to rest a warm hand on Beca’s forearm. “And I don’t think you’re unlovable. Pretty sure after that kiss you laid on Stacie she doesn’t think you’re unlovable either.”

The instant blush that rose to Beca’s face was adorable and Aubrey found herself laughing softly. Chloe would be a goner for Beca if she wasn’t already and Aubrey could completely understand why. There was something about Beca that made her want ease the hurt she could see echoing behind the other woman’s eyes.

“Yeah well the jury’s still out on that. Everything is just happening so fast and it’s so complicated. I thought Stace was going to just fucking bail on me when she found my name…”

“Doesn’t look like she wants to bail.” Aubrey sipped her drink, savoring the smooth warmth of the alcohol. It was new for Beca so she didn’t want to push it but she also didn’t want to leave things unsaid that could potentially make things even harder later on. “I honestly don’t know how this is all going to work out Beca and I’d be lying if I said otherwise but I do know that whatever is going on it does involve you. You’re right.  _Your_ soulmark is right over Chloe’s heart. And one thing I definitely do know is that Chloe’s heart was hollow where you belong in it.”

Beca finally raised her head to really look at Aubrey and she found herself rubbing her wrist where it tingled and itched. “And you’re cool with me just being a part of her life and Stacie’s? Because my name isn’t the only one they’re wearing.”

That was the question wasn’t it? Was she really okay with all of this? With the many and varied ways it could all blow up in her face? Aubrey wasn’t sure but she let it all swirl in her mind as she poured them each another drink. “Well. I don’t know whose name will show up next on any of us. It could be a completely different and random person for each of us but if I’m being honest with myself and you…I kinda hope it’s your name.”

Beca turned her head quickly away and stared into her glass. “Yeah. Well that would make things easier I guess.”

“Not because it’s easier, Bec.” She waited for Beca to turn and face her again and when she did Aubrey let out a breath and continued. “I hope it’s you because there’s still a hollow part in my heart too and I think you belong there.” They stared at each other a long time before Beca reached back and scratched between her shoulder blades idly. It was her turn to look away and she let her eyes drift away toward the door where Bella was sticking her head out to sniff the air in the patio. “Hey Bellalove. C’mere.”

The fox stepped out cautiously and weaved around the patio furniture and grill, sniffing idly at everything she passed. Aubrey reached out a hand to run through the thick red fur but Bella neatly avoided it and circled Beca’s chair. “Uh, foxes don’t eat people right? Because I’m probably not a good meal. Overly salty and all that…”

Beca and the fox eyed each other for a moment before Bella sneezed once and turned her back on the woman. Aubrey snickered and shook her head. “Never heard of a fox eating a person bu…oh my God BELLA NO!” She didn’t even know why she thought that would work, foxes were not like dogs. But she had hoped that the shout would be enough to stop Bella from peeing on Beca’s leg. It was not.

“Jesus CHRIST!” Beca jumped up and skittered away, shaking drops from her leg. “Oh my GOD!! That’s fuckin…nope…gonna hork now. Can’t.” Aubrey couldn’t blame her, the smell when fresh was even worse than the bathroom and she ran to immediately open the screen door to shoo Bella out. The fox jetted through the door the as soon as it was open but the damage was done.

Beca awkwardly held her leg out hopping for balance on the other. “Get it off me, get it off me!” She brought her leg around toward Aubrey who jumped back with a little shriek. “DUDE!”

“Okay okay! Uh…take your pants off.”

“REALLY?!?!”

“I’m serious! Strip ‘em!”

“Can’t I just go stand in the shower??”

“NO!” Aubrey backed up another step and covered her nose with her forearm. There was no way they were bringing the pee pants inside the house. “You’re going to have to leave them out here. Oh my God that’s…we might have to burn them. I’m so sorry.”

“Oh C’MON!” It didn’t stop her from kicking off her Chucks and wiggling quickly out of the black skinny jeans. Beca kicked them into a pile in the corner by the still propped open door. The second they landed Bella darted in and snagged the pants in her mouth before running off behind a tree with them. “THOSE WERE MY FAVORITE PANTS!!”

“Mine too now that they’re off.” As one she and Beca turned to the sliding door to find Stacie and Chloe watching with more amusement than should be legal. Chloe eyed Beca’s legs and bit her lip with a soft hum of approval but refrained from saying anything else. Stacie had no such restraint however and leaned against the door frame openly admiring Beca. “That shirt could be my favorite too…”

“Too soon Stace!” Beca reached out and smacked Aubrey’s arm when she giggled despite her best efforts to contain it, and then held her hands down in front of herself in a show of modesty. “What are you laughing at blondie?”

“I mean. You’re the one that took your pants off….” Beca gave her another scornful look that had zero effect whatsoever.

“Because YOU told me to!”

“Bree IS pretty persuasive. Once in college she convinced me to steal a car with her.” Beca and Stacie stared at Chloe then turned as one to Aubrey who only shrugged. They glanced back at Chloe who laughed. “Totes would have gotten away with it if someone hadn’t kicked the parking break off. But that’s another story for another day.”

“Chloe. That was you. You kicked the parking break off.”

“And who was responsible for that?” Aubrey flushed when three pairs of eyes turned to stare at her. Two pair comically wide. “Mmhm. C’mon Beca I have some sweats in the dryer you can put on. Ugh. Um. After you get in the shower.”

“Ohthankyoulord.” She gave Aubrey another considering look then followed Chloe into the house.

Stacie stayed where she was and Aubrey didn’t know how to get past her without having to brush up against the taller woman. So she stood there awkwardly trying not to breathe in the stink until Bella streaked past trailing Beca’s pants after her. Stacie laughed and shook her head then turned back to the kitchen. She stopped and looked at Aubrey as she was stepping inside the house. “And you said you didn’t have any kinks.”

Heat rushed to her face and she cleared her throat. Life with Stacie was already proving to be interesting, but despite her mortification…she couldn’t stop smiling. Maybe this would all work out after all.


	14. Chapter 14 - Beca

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow okay I thought I had more than this left but alas we’ve come to the end of the road here. I know it seems open ended but I did it for a very good reason. I wanted to leave this universe open for future oneshots should myself or @fandom-heaux ever decide to revisit the universe. And honestly this whole thing was about getting the girls to the big reveal. In any case…thanks for coming along for the ride everyone.

After she’d scrubbed and rinsed her leg a few dozen times and stood under the hot stream of water for a good long while she finally decided to dry off. Beca leaned over the small sink in the hall bathroom and stared at herself in the fogged up mirror. This couldn’t be happening right? Because she didn’t have any marks. That kind of life wasn’t for her. Right?

It was what she’d told herself for so long and now it was all different. She could love someone. Really love them and not just go through the motions only to end up a huge disappointment to herself and the person she wanted to love. But what did any of this mean really? So she could love people and that was great, better than great, it was fantastic. But what if they could never really love her? No matter what Aubrey said, Beca knew what it was like to want to love someone but being unable to actually really love them. What if whatever was happening, whatever the marks meant, she just…wasn’t loveable? Wasn’t that a worse fate than having nothing at all?

Beca wasn’t sure she had any answers for that, she wasn’t sure anyone had the answers for that. She took another minute to settle herself before she pulled on her clothes, stopping to eye the baby pink sweat pants dubiously before pulling them on. She looked ridiculous in her dark flannel and tank with the pants but at least she was comfortable. She took another deep, calming breath before opening the door to the bathroom only to find Bella sitting at the door waiting. “You again.”

Bella sneezed gave a warbling chitter but didn’t move and Beca wasn’t about to push things. Mostly because she didn’t want to get peed on again, but also because she still wasn’t sure that foxes didn’t eat people. Slowly Beca crossed her arms over her chest, not wanting to give up ground but unwilling to push past the fox either.

“Beca? Are you oka…what um, what’s going on here?” Chloe came around the corner to find Beca and Bella in a Mexican standoff, each silently and warily evaluating the other. The brunette broke her gaze with the fox just in time to catch Chloe giving them an amused smile.

“She doesn’t like me.” Bella yawned and stretched then laid herself directly in front of Beca’s feet, completely blocking the door.

Chloe chuckled and reached down to rub Bella’s head. “Are you giving Beca a hard time?” Bella nudged at her hand with her snoot then got up and walked away seemingly bored with the entire situation. Chlo chuckled and stepped back so Beca could exit the bathroom. “Why do you think she doesn’t like you?”

Beca let out a sigh of relief and shook her head. “She peed on me. And then stole my pants. Your fox is a bully.” She was joking mostly but she still gave a suspicious glance in the direction that Bella had gone before stepping out into the hall with Chloe. Half out of reflex she reached back and scratched between her shoulder blades, frowning when Chloe caught her at it. “I think she gave me fleas or scabies or whatever.”

Chloe’s laugh made Beca’s stomach do a weird flutter thing and she felt her face turning red. Bec dropped her hand from her back immediately self-conscious about the gesture.

“Okay first, I think you mean rabies, which neither you nor Bella have.” Chloe gently turned Beca to face the wall and brought her hands up to tug the hem of the shorter woman’s shirt up so she could see her back. “And don’t worry. It’s not fleas either….probably.” Beca squirmed for a second before the soothing warmth of Chloe’s hands on her skin settled her. A nervous shiver chased itself up her spine with each inch of skin exposed to the cool air conditioned interior of the house. “But don’t worry, we can always give you a flea dip out back. We might even find your pants out there.”

“You’re hilarious Beale.” There wasn’t any sting to her comeback, she was just trying to snark her way over the fact that her muscles were twitching everywhere Chloe touched.

When the fabric had finally cleared the irritated and inflamed spot on her back Chloe sucked in a sharp breath and let it out with a soft exclamation. “Oh.”

“Oh?” Beca tried to look over her shoulder but could see nothing. “What is it? What’s wrong? It’s fleas isn’t it? Okay I’m just gonna say it…if you tell anyone I let you flea dip me we’re no longer friends.”

“I…no…that’s…wait…you’d let me flea dip you in the yard? Beca, sweetie, no.” Chloe’s bright eyes blinked at her in mild horror at the thought that Beca was actually okay with that. “Just…wait. One sec.” The redhead jogged down the short hall to what Beca assumed was the master bedroom. She was only gone for a second before she popped back out with hand mirror and a bottle of lotion.

“Is this gonna be one of those ‘it puts the lotion on it’s skin’ moments? Because I just want you to know I’d make a lousy coat.”

Chloe paused and frowned at that not quite sure how to answer. “A what moment?”

“Never mind. Never mind me, the one with scabies and fleas.”

Her lips tugged into a grin at Beca’s obvious anxiety and on impulse leaned in to pull the brunette into a warm hug. “You’re fine. And it’s rabies.”

“Oh great. So now I have rabies too.”

Chloe laughed and turned Beca toward the bathroom. “Just go. Let me get the girls.”

Beca wasn’t entirely sure why this needed to be a group event but she went along with it because curiosity was stronger than her nervousness. She gave a little start when all three of the girls crowded into the bathroom and gave them all a wary blink. “Okay if it’s gross just…don’t be a dick about it.”

“It’s not gross just…turn around and take off your shirt.”

Beca turned but looked over her shoulder at Chloe. “You know you two are really demandy about the nudity.” It took her a minute as she sighed suddenly realizing that this was the most exposed and vulnerable she had ever been with anyone ever before. She shrugged off the flannel and dropped it on the counter before slowly raising her tank top, holding it to her chest as the only defense she had. Her body hunched under the weight of their gazes and Beca swallowed hard. “How bad is it? Like doctor bad or just ‘you should invest in calamine lotion stock’ bad?”

Soft fingertips traced over her back and she flinched automatically. After a second Chloe picked up the mirror she’d left next to the sink and handed it to Beca, helping her angle just right so she could see her own back in the mirror. Beca blinked and brought her free hand out to trace over the marks reflected in the small hand mirror.

“But that’s…I mean…”

For a minute her knees felt like jelly and she thought they just might buckle under her weight, so she sagged back against the counter still staring at the part of her she never knew existed. Chloe’s voice was soft when she finally spoke into the weighted silence. “I know it’s hard to see on your own but Becs, someone had to have seen it. I mean a girlfriend or boyfriend…?”

Beca’s face flamed red and she put the mirror down so she could pull her tank top back on. This was one of those times where she was supposed to have an answer for things she wasn’t even sure of herself. And it was just too much, they were too close and the bathroom too small. “Can we just.” She stopped herself from saying anything more choosing instead to pull her flannel back on. “I can’t breathe in here.”

Her mind was churning with more thoughts than she could process and she pushed past the women surrounding her to get out of the confined space. Once out she didn’t know where to go or what to do with herself so she stood awkwardly in the hall trying not to notice the way they were all looking at her. Aubrey frowned slightly, her gaze going down to her own wrist before a quiet understanding filled her eyes and she sighed. “Oh Beca…”

She glanced away at the sad look and wiped angrily at a tear she could feel creeping over her cheek. “I didn’t want anyone to ever realize I didn’t have them.” Her shoulder raised in a shrug with more nonchalance than she actually felt. “Not that anyone was knocking down my door to get into my bed but the few times…it was very dark and over very quickly. Not a lot to write home about.”

Sex was one thing, she’d done that enough times to know she liked it but never felt quite comfortable or right about it after it was over. Once things got quiet and intimate her mood often changed and the creeping panic that someone would notice, would know that she was somehow wrong, threatened to drown her with an overwhelming wave of anxiety. It had left her lacking in any kind of experience beyond getting off. And now standing there in front of people that were supposed to be her soulmates she felt completely out of her depth.

She hated seeing those pitying looks on people’s faces and she didn’t want to see it on any of theirs. Chloe was the first to move into her personal space, warm arms wrapping around her and oh my God it felt so good. So good she struggled not to stiffen up at the closeness and comfort of everything Chloe. Stacie eased into place on her left and Aubrey’s solid presence filled the spot on her right. Just for a moment as their arms closed around her she thought she might run screaming into the night, but it passed as she went lightheaded as the tide of their love bathed her in utter peace.

“ ** _Oh_**.”

“Yeah.”

She wasn’t sure which one of them said it but she was certain they all felt the same way. Beca gave a ragged gasp before a sob broke and she didn’t even really know why she was crying but she couldn’t seem to stop. Nothing had ever felt so right in her entire life and she wilted a little, knees going weak, but they were there. All of them supporting her in a way she’d never experienced before. She belonged to people and they belonged to her.

“Let’s get comfortable.” It was Aubrey’s calm and reassuring voice and Aubrey’s strong hand that took hers and led them down the hall to the master bedroom. Beca paused for a moment inside the door, a little unsure if she was allowed to have this moment. She could feel Chloe and Stacie patiently waiting for her to decide what she wanted. “We can just cuddle.”

Beca gave Aubrey a look and raised her brow despite the fact that she was still sniffling and unsteady on her feet. “Sure, Jan.”

Aubrey snorted out a surprised laugh and settled on the edge of the large bed. “Honestly, I just thought it would be easier than trying to pile up on the couch but if you’d rather…”

“No! No…I don’t want to go back…” Beca wasn’t even sure if she meant the living room or something else entirely but definitely wanted to be there with them. Carefully she crawled up into the bed and gingerly settled in the middle.

“What about you Stretch?” Chloe’s tone was teasing and light but it was clear ball was in Stacie’s court. “You wanna get some cuddles?”

Stacie looked surprisingly shy when she glanced at the bed where Beca and Aubrey were already starting to ease into spooning. “Yeah, I could be DTC.”

Beca held out her hand and Stacie crawled into the bed, Chloe following her. It didn’t feel awkward like she thought it should, having Chloe and Aubrey spooning them. It should have felt a little bit weird when Stacie reached out to trace fingers along her jaw before kissing her while they were being held two other women. It should have been anything but comfortable and safe but…it was exactly that. Safe. It was perfect.

Tears welled up in her eyes again and Stacie wiped them away when they fell with a soft brush of her thumbs. “It’s okay, we’re home now.”

In the back of her mind she knew there were things she still had to figure out. Like why the one person in the world that would have known she had marks never told her. She wasn’t at all sure how she was going to handle that or what she was going to say to her mom but she knew she didn’t have to deal with it alone. Muscles she didn’t know had been clenched suddenly relaxed when Aubrey pressed a soft kiss to her shoulder and Chloe’s arm reached over Stacie to lace fingers with her.

Home. That felt right and for the first time in her life she finally found a home where she belonged. The rest she…they…could figure out later. Together.


End file.
